My name is Melinda Bachini, I am 47, and I am a wife and mother. Six years ago I was diagnosed with a rare bile duct cancer called cholangiocarcinoma. There is no proven treatment, and it has a grim prognosis.
I have always been a Christian, but I have not always lived a godly, faith-filled life. My sins were huge, but thankfully God is a forgiving God. Nothing brought me to my knees like being diagnosed with a stage-four terminal cancer, and the hope that was found is amazing.
Soon after diagnosis, I had this overwhelming desire to read the Bible. I can tell you that I soon was overcome by a sense of peace and a close relationship with my savior, Jesus Christ.
After about two years of chemotherapy and severe toxicity, I found a clinical trial. It involved the initial chemo to deplete my immune system, but after that it was my body fighting the cancer.
I have always felt that this was a gift from God, the way I found it and how it all took place. I believe in the power of prayer and in miracles. I had so many people praying for me, it was incredible. Prayer is the best gift and best medicine ever. In March 2012, two years after diagnosis, I entered into this trial.
The first week I received chemo not to treat the cancer but to suppress my immune system. The second week they infused 42.6 billion of my T-cells into me. The third and fourth weeks helped me to recover enough to go home.
The first six months after treatment, my tumors shrank. The next six months they stayed stable, and then they slowly started to grow again. It was during this time that the scientists were able to sequence my tumor and find the exact T-cell to respond to one of my 26 mutations.
We returned to NIH in October of 2013. I received the same treatment as before. This time I received 126 billion cells, with about 95 percent of them being that special T-cell.
For the past 28 months, my own T-cells have been fighting my cancer. I am not cancer-free, and I may have to repeat treatment. I am at peace with whatever happens because I believe with all my heart God is in control, and I trust him.
I know that I would never wish cancer upon anyone. But I am grateful for the opportunity to grow my faith, to share my faith, to see my husband and children grow in their faith, to know how blessed each day is, to make amends and to always say "I love you."
My days seem sweeter and my priorities are different. I have very strong faith and hope in God. I wouldn’t trade this experience; there have been too many lessons learned, too much growth, so many blessings and the opportunity to meet so many amazing people.
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