Cindy Petersen enjoys living on her ranch in Elba, Nebraska. Now retired, she stays active by hosting family and friends, tending her expansive yard and garden, and participating in church and various clubs. 

While you might not guess it from Cindy’s positive outlook on life, her health journey has been a decades-long challenge. The fact that she is still so active today is a testament to her resilient spirit and access to top-notch, expert care – despite her rural location.

Having battled hereditary polycystic kidney and liver disease for about 25 years, Cindy received a successful kidney and liver transplant from Nebraska Medicine. Celebrating her three-year transplant anniversary this year, she is exceedingly grateful for the care that saved her life.

“I can’t say enough about how great the ongoing care, concern, and follow-up has been throughout my healthcare journey,” says Cindy. “It’s really been a miracle. I’ve sought care in large facilities in other states, but have determined that the expertise right in my own state is the very best. I’m blessed to be able to travel to Omaha for the care I need. It’s been worth the effort.”

While organ transplants are indeed lifesaving procedures, they also come with risk.

After surgery and recovery, Cindy began to notice certain skin issues she’d dealt with before the transplants had progressed. After her initial screening visit with dermatologist Vanessa Voss, MD,  biopsies were taken on suspicious lesions. The results showed Cindy had developed skin cancer.

Complex skin cancer care

“Patients like Cindy who have had whole organ transplants face an over 70% higher skin cancer risk, often due to the immunosuppressive medications they take after surgery,” says Dr. Voss. “Skin cancer tumors behave more aggressively and also have a higher chance of metastasizing. For complex cases like hers, we continue to see her every two to three months in our specialty clinic.” 

Since her first visit, Cindy has had an estimated 30 skin cancers treated, many removed with Mohs micrographic surgery performed by Dr. Voss and dermatologist Adam Sutton, MD. In addition, facial and reconstructive surgeon Katie Geelan-Hansen, MD, performed reconstruction on her lip and nose. Cindy has also undergone radiation therapy. 

“I’m not what you’d call a ‘typical’ skin cancer patient by any means,” Cindy says with a chuckle. “At every visit, I get a whole-body exam, and I pretty much expect to get at least one biopsy or more every time I see Dr. Voss at this point. She is an angel, always empathetic, and has gone above and beyond for me. Her whole team, including Dr. Sutton, is amazing as well. I have the utmost faith in all of them as I continue this journey.”

Hope and resiliency throughout the journey

Cindy lives by the creed that focusing on the negative is a waste of time. 

“Every day is a gift. There are so many positive things that happen, so I have always felt that these hard things are just a bump in the road. I’m alive and enjoying my life, and look for the good things in each day.”

“Cindy is one of the strongest humans that I know,” adds Dr. Voss. “She is determined to stay positive and is very diligent about her health. I’m so impressed with her ability to think of others, even while pushing through the challenges. Since she began in our clinic, I’m pleased that the treatments and preventative measures have made a difference and have helped to improve her quality of life.”

Dr. Voss offers advice to others who may be facing skin cancer diagnoses.

• Seek expert care you trust 
• Actively engage in understanding your treatment options, decisions, and trade-offs
• Align your choices with your personal life goals 
• Make prevention a priority. Ask your doctor what you can do to reduce the risk of developing new cancers, and take steps to do so.
• Focus on the meaningful relationships in your life and participate in activities you enjoy
• If you’re overwhelmed, talk with your doctor about treating the highest-risk tumors first and pacing your care to make it manageable

“My friends and family have been an incredible support system for me,” Cindy adds. “They are my rock. My husband and I couldn’t have done any of this without them. If you’re going through a health journey of your own, take one day at a time. When you wake up in the morning, remind yourself that this day is a gift. This too shall pass.”

Coordinated care with a multidisciplinary team

Nebraska Medicine offers expert care for both common and complex dermatologic conditions. The dermatology team provides consultations and maintains strong communication with referring dermatologists throughout Nebraska and Iowa. Nebraska Medicine offers virtual dermatology care for common skin concerns, allowing patients to be treated from the comfort of their home, no matter where they live. In addition, Nebraska Medicine is the only location in the state that offers Mohs surgery for melanoma.