Name: Courtney Rodbard
Location: Canada
Age at Diagnosis: 39
Year of Diagnosis: 2021
Primary Tumor Location(s): Chest
Metastasis or Recurrence Location(s): None
Surgery(s): Tumor Resection
Chemotherapy: AIM (Doxorubicin & Ifosfamide)
Radiation: Yes
Targeted Therapies & Trials: None
Treatment Center(s): St. John Regional Hospital, Halifax
Current Status: NED (No Evidence of Disease)
Profile Narrative: Diagnosed in 2021 after struggling with breathing. Fluid was initially discovered around her heart, and after draining it, doctors found a 10+ cm synovial sarcoma mass growing behind her heart. Courtney was originally told the tumor was “inoperable” by her care team. Despite her dire prognosis, she chose to undergo six rounds of AIM chemotherapy under the care of Dr. Margot Burnell at St. John Regional Hospital in Canada. In addition, the St. John’s team recommended 25 rounds of radiation under the care of Dr. Farah Naz. During her treatment, her care team brought Courtney’s case to Halifax and presented it to Dr. Andrew French, a thoracic surgeon. Dr. French agreed to operate to remove the synovial sarcoma tumor in December 2022. After a 10-day medical coma and three weeks in the hospital, Courtney returned home and is now NED. She undergoes CT scans every three months.