For most people, an 88th birthday is a milestone of resilience. For Jane Underwood Seider, her 88th year marked the beginning of an unexpected battle with cancer – one she was determined to win.
It all started with a routine checkup in June 2024. Blood tests revealed potential signs of cancer and further scans confirmed a tumor the size of a woman’s fist nestled in a high-risk area of her liver. The mass was dangerously positioned between critical veins draining the liver and the inferior vena cava, which is the main vessel that returns blood to the heart.
Not new to tackling health challenges, the mother of three and grandmother of two overcame ovarian cancer a decade ago, followed by a cardiac arrest and insertion of a pacemaker. She wanted surgery to remove the tumor, but given her medical history, the delicate location of the tumor and her advanced age it was complex. Like so many patients her age, she takes a prescription blood thinner, but the devout Jehovah’s Witness firmly refuses blood transfusions under any circumstances.
Despite the odds, Mrs. Seider remained confident in a positive outcome. “I thought I could beat it,” she said.
A Surgeon at the Forefront of Innovation
In her corner is a world-renowned cancer surgeon at Carle Cancer Institute Urbana.
Claudius Conrad, MD, PhD, joined Carle Health as a surgeon and Carle Illinois College of Medicine as a professor of surgery after an esteemed career in Boston. He is also director, Translational Research, at Cancer Center of Illinois. His education includes studying a less traumatic way to help patients with liver or pancreatic cancer.
A globally recognized expert in minimally invasive robotic surgery for liver, pancreatic and biliary tract cancers, Dr. Conrad saw in Seider not only a complex case, but a person to fight for.
“The risk of significant blood loss was high, especially given her age, her blood-thinner medication, and the tumor’s proximity to critical veins. Without the option of a blood transfusion, precision was absolutely critical, Dr. Conrad said. “My primary concern was not only her tolerating the operation but also ensuring she could return to her independent life afterward.”
In his practice, Dr. Conrad focuses not only on technical mastery, but also understanding the person behind the diagnosis, how the patient lives life and the patient’s risk tolerance. “I look at the patient as part of the team,” he said.
A Bold Decision and a Surgical Feat
One of six children, Mrs. Seider was 18 when she married a farmer and became a homemaker.
They raised a family near Mahomet and then in Champaign where her husband later worked at the University of Illinois. She currently resides in Champaign.
Baptized a Jehovah’s Witness in 1959, Mrs. Seider references Acts 15:28, 29 in the Bible when asked about abstaining from blood. “Life is very important to us,” she said. “I asked Dr. Conrad, ‘If I were your mother, would you tell her the same thing (about the surgery)?’ It was probably complicated for him, too.”
Dr. Conrad and the care team navigated the intricate anatomy of the liver, successfully removing the tumor and avoiding any bleeding. Mrs. Seider recalls just five small incisions. She was up and walking the next day.
“She could not have had a better doctor. We consider him world-class. He respects his patient and cares about people,” Mrs. Seider’s daughter, Michele King, said after her mother got the news that she is cancer-free.
Carle Health cares for the whole patient with a team of experts using the latest technology and a multidisciplinary commitment to each patient. With services throughout central Illinois, patients get in for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.
Mrs. Seider showed her heartfelt appreciation by baking her family’s favorite pudding cookies and delivering them to Dr. Conrad who shared them with his colleagues as a sweet reminder of why they do this work.
“Everything was good. The procedure and the cookies. Certainly, the outcome was good and nothing makes me happier,” he said.
Categories: Culture of Quality, Redefining Healthcare, Community
Tags: cancer, Carle Cancer Institute, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, oncology, University of Illinois