David Raubach: I want to thank you for joining us on today’s episode of the Cancer Project podcast. We’re really privileged to be joined by Lauren Whitaker today. She is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2022 with breast cancer, went through multiple different types of treatment, which we’re going to talk about. Um, and she is also featured in a documentary about the history of proton therapy, which we will also talk about today. So, Lauren, thank you so much for joining us. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, thank you. David Raubach: So, is this your first podcast? Lauren Whitaker: It is. David Raubach: Okay. And you’re going to do great. Uh, you’ve been in a movie. Well, Lauren Whitaker: and and I I will I

David Raubach: do want to ask you about this actually as we get going. So, um I got to go with you down to the U softball stadium a couple weeks ago. So, talk a little bit about that, what you were doing down there. Lauren Whitaker: That was really exciting. What a fun opportunity to throw the first pitch at a women’s softball game at OU and and we are the champs. So, um, just, you know, such an exciting experience and glad to represent the Proton Center and get to meet Patty Gasso and and the entire team. So, just a lot of fun. David Raubach: Were you nervous? Lauren Whitaker: Very nervous. I was excited. David Raubach: You did a good

David Raubach: job with the pitch, though. Lauren Whitaker: Oh, well, thank you. It wasn’t the best, most beautiful pitch in the world, but yeah, it was fun. David Raubach: So, uh, and your sisters were there and you guys all went to OU. Lauren Whitaker: Yes. Yep. David Raubach: Uh, how you guys are close in age? Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, we are. There we’re each a year plus a month or two apart. David Raubach: Okay. So, and you’re you were all at OU together. Lauren Whitaker: Yes. David Raubach: What was that like? Lauren Whitaker: Oh, that was fun. Uh, we at one point lived together um within walking distance of campus. So, um that was a fun experience. And two of them were in the art

Lauren Whitaker: school together. I was in the business college. So, um, we didn’t all have the same study path, but, um, had some of the same parties and some of the same, uh, you know, just fun times outside of class. So, yeah, it was a good experience. David Raubach: Good. So, what did you study at OU? Lauren Whitaker: Um, so I was in the business college. So, I got my degree in finance. Um, yeah. So, business David Raubach: and what uh, so from there and then you went in, you went into a career. Lauren Whitaker: I went into a career. I actually started working in an accounting department at Dobson Communications in Oklahoma City. Um, and thought that my career path might

Lauren Whitaker: be accounting. So, then I went back and got an accounting degree and was on track to pursue a CPA license. David Raubach: Okay. uh and then ended up leaving Dobson and going to work in the oil and gas industry and was hired for my finance degree rather than accounting. So I ended up kind of abandoning the accounting degree and you know just going forward in oil and gas and utilizing leaning on more the finance Lauren Whitaker: uh education and yeah David Raubach: and so you now did you work at Chesapeake at one point? Okay. And so that there’s a little bit of a connection because I had multiple family members that worked at Chesapeake. My father-in-law worked

David Raubach: there. Uh my brother-in-law, my wife. So there Yeah, there’s multiple people that worked at Chesapeake. And I think you David Raubach: Were you in the same department? Lauren Whitaker: Yes. David Raubach: With my father. Father-in-law. Okay. Yeah, that’s right. Yeah. Um and then I knew other people that worked in that department as well. Um so And then tell me about So you have kids? Lauren Whitaker: I do. David Raubach: Yeah. Tell me about them. Lauren Whitaker: I have two teenage boys, a 15year-old and a 13year-old. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Um they’re big growing fast guys. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um two boys. Yep. David Raubach: The older one is 6′ tall now and and the younger one’s Yep. quickly surpassing me. Lauren Whitaker: But they’re

Lauren Whitaker: both involved in sports and just school and doing all the boy things. David Raubach: Yeah. What? So, the 15-year-old, if you could describe him in a couple of words, how would you describe your 15-year-old? Lauren Whitaker: He’s a lot like me. He’s thoughtful, uh, attention to detail, I think. Um, just conscientious, self-aware. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um, yeah, he’s smart. He’s David Raubach: a good student, he’s calm. And then is he so is he a lot like the 13-year-old or is the 13-year-old totally different? Lauren Whitaker: Complete opposite. David Raubach: Yeah. What what is the 13-year-old like? Lauren Whitaker: The 13-year-old is more wild. Um more he’s just very strong minded, strong willed, not too conscientious or or caring about grades,

Lauren Whitaker: less attention to detail. David Raubach: Yes. What And now were you the oldest of the three sisters? Okay. So hence the similarities with your oldest. Yeah. So and then your your uh younger is probably more like your younger sisters a little bit. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. David Raubach: Um so I mentioned in the intro that you were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. How did you find out that you had breast cancer? Lauren Whitaker: Well, I had a a lump that I just knew something wasn’t right. And I could tell that it was getting worse, um, getting larger kind of pretty quickly. And so I went to my primary care doctor and she kind of just,

Lauren Whitaker: you know, we examined some of the lifestyle habits, what’s been going on in my life, and she thought it was probably a cyst. Okay. um thought that that could be cysts I guess are kind of fueled by caffeine intake. I had been drinking more coffee than usual. And so, you know, I went into my this this kind of um diagnostic appointment, not concerned at all whatsoever that anything was wrong. I thought it this was a simple cyst and you know, we could take care of it and I could move on. Um, so she sent me to an ultrasound appointment to just have another look just to make sure. Um, and that was where I was

Lauren Whitaker: diagnosed. David Raubach: Yeah. So you cuz had you been even doing mammograms at that point? Lauren Whitaker: I had done Yes, I had been doing regular yearly mammograms. In fact, I had had my yearly mammogram in February and it was clear there were no issues, no concerns. Um, and I don’t know exactly, but I I think it might have been a 2D just like baseline. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Um, you know, simple type of mammogram. Didn’t detect anything. And I believe I did get a letter following that though that recommended that I come back in 6 months for a 3D mamogram due to having dense breast tissue, which I know a lot of women have. Um,

Lauren Whitaker: so that would have been, you know, I was due for that 6 months after that February appointment, but I didn’t never make it to that. David Raubach: This was May, right? Yeah. So, just a couple months later. And so, uh, for somebody who hasn’t been through that literal process of finding a lump and then going to get an ultrasound, what what happens? So, you go and you do the ultrasound and then does the doctor come in at that point and say, “I see something.” or what? Describe what’s happening at that point. Lauren Whitaker: Yes, he Yeah, the doctor kind of kind of just Sorry, that’s not good. I can’t I’m trying to remember if it was

Lauren Whitaker: a doctor who was sitting there looking at reviewing the scan with me or not or do or conducting the ultrasound. I think it was a nurse who was initially um you know administering the the ultrasound David Raubach: and said okay I’m going to go get the doctor. Lauren Whitaker: Okay. David Raubach: And I could tell Yeah. And you’re going to get something wrong. Like why are we going to get the doctor? Lauren Whitaker: Yes. And then there was this kind of long waiting period where I waited for this doctor to come in and he comes in and introduces himself and sits down kind of with a heavy sigh and says, “Well, we’re going to have to do

Lauren Whitaker: a biopsy.” David Raubach: Oh, wow. Lauren Whitaker: Um, this doesn’t look good. He said just based on the ultrasound, he said, you know, I can’t guarantee anything or, you know, I don’t know with 100% assurance without sending off the biopsy, but he said, I’m 95% sure this is going to be cancer. David Raubach: Oh, wow. Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um, so I don’t know if it’s typical for them to kind of diagnose you and give you that kind of information right there and then, but that’s what they that’s what happened. David Raubach: Yeah. I think um you know sometimes it is pretty obvious at that first screening uh or I guess that was really a diagnostic scan not even just a

David Raubach: screening scan um sometimes there is a need for follow-up imaging to see if there’s if if it is what the doctor thinks that it is but yeah I mean that’s that’s so it’s all happening very quickly. Lauren Whitaker: Yes. Then at that point, yes. David Raubach: Um, and so what how long did it take to get the biopsy results back? Or I guess you had the ultrasound. When when do you do the biopsy? Was that same day or Lauren Whitaker: It was right then and there. Right then and there. Yes. So the doctor gave me that news. Uh, and then you know he left the room to go prep the biopsy situation um or

Lauren Whitaker: procedure. And I had to call my mom because my mom was supposed to be or I was I was there just to do this quick ultrasound and then go pick my kids up from school that afternoon. And I had to call my mom and say, “Mom, I can’t make it to pick my kids up. Can you go get them?” And by the way, I just was told that I have David Raubach: And uh so so that was in between Yeah. the the ultrasound and the biopsy. So the time frame there was maybe 30 45 minutes that I waited around to do the biopsy. So uh had had you had anybody in your family be

David Raubach: diagnosed with breast cancer before that point? Lauren Whitaker: No, there wasn’t really a family history. Um there was an aunt who was really only a half aunt. Yeah. Um on my dad’s side of the family and she was much much older. Um, and so no, not really. Not not much to speak of. David Raubach: Was there anybody else in your social circle that had gone through breast cancer? I guess I’m trying to think like who are you even talking to at that point? Lauren Whitaker: No. David Raubach: To say what should I expect? Lauren Whitaker: Nobody. I didn’t I didn’t have anyone that I knew in my close, you know, in my circle or in my life who had

Lauren Whitaker: experienced that. Um, I did have a couple friends who had family members who had gone through it. So it seems like everybody knows someone who’s gone through it or had some experience with it. So you know as soon as I started talking to friends and family um they would kind of put me in touch with whoever they knew in their life. And so I was given some guidance and some information in that way. But no going into it I was completely uninformed. And you know it’s like one of those things that you don’t like you don’t pay a lot of attention to it when it doesn’t apply to you. Yeah, that’s kind

Lauren Whitaker: of I was guilty of that, you know, just kind of didn’t really go into it with much knowledge. David Raubach: Well, I mean, who expects to be diagnosed with cancer in your 30s or 40s? That’s just like, yeah, that just comes out of the blue. And you were healthy at that point. So, what um what are the next steps? So, you get the biopsy results back. I guess there, you know, part of that process is figuring out the staging and then the staging determines what treatment’s going to look like. Did you start having conversations about what treatment was going to look like with anybody prior to getting the biopsy back or the doctors

David Raubach: are saying let’s wait till we get the biopsy then we can talk about treatment? Like how did how did that process unfold? Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, it took a couple of weeks um between that first day at the ultrasound and first biopsy. Um they scheduled several other scans and so there was the that first biopsy they did on the side the side where the lump was. Uh and then they scheduled me for an MRI. So I went in and did a bilateral MRI or you know checked both sides. Um and then based on that they called me back again for another biopsy on the other side. Um gosh, and then it seems like even another another

Lauren Whitaker: MRI. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: There were several appointments over about a two week time frame. And then I think it was 2 weeks to the day because I remember my initial ultrasound was on a Friday and I believe it was two weeks following um another Friday. I was in the I guess she was an oncology surgeon. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Um in her office getting the full diagnosis where they give you the stage and the grade and you know the results of the biopsy and exactly what’s feeding the cancer, what’s causing it to grow. Um it was a just a rainy dismal Friday day in May. I remember just David Raubach: Yeah. What how are

David Raubach: you doing? I mean, and I can assume that there’s obviously a lot going through your head, but I guess what what is going through your head at this point during that two week period? What are you thinking? Lauren Whitaker: Uh, well, it was just a foggy time. Yeah. I just remember being completely blindsided by all of it. Um, it was just so unexpected and it just it all happened so fast because yes, it felt like one minute nothing was happening and the next minute the only thing going on in my life was doctor’s appointments and scans and trying to keep up with all that. Um, and losing my hair. I was really

Lauren Whitaker: worried that I was going to lose my hair, which I did, but and turned out not to be the end of the world. But I remember, you know, being upset about that. Yeah. So the fear of the unknown. Um, my surgeon though who gave me the diagnosis did such an amazing job of explaining everything to me and she got out a piece of paper and drew almost, you know, like a picture and a road map of what the next steps were and who’s who, who are the players in this treatment plan and why are we doing this treatment or that treatment and what they all are. So that was really helpful but still

Lauren Whitaker: I didn’t understand the language. I didn’t know what all these different terms meant. And and then furthermore, she told me, “Don’t go to Dr. Google. Don’t start researching this on your own. Just trust us. Listen to us. We’ll guide you through every step of the way.” So, I listened to that advice and I did not Google it and I did not David Raubach: That’s actually amazing. I I would say it would be really hard for me in that situation. You know, you’re laying awake at night and you just want to ask some question about something. some question pops in your head and you’re like, I need an immediate response to this. I’m going

David Raubach: to Google it or now it’d be like chat GBT or Lauren Whitaker: Yes. Oh, thank goodness chat GBT didn’t exist. Then I probably wouldn’t have resisted. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Because I know chat GBT will consolidate all that information. Lauren Whitaker: Conversational. It’s like you can just have this conversation back and forth like it’s a person. Y David Raubach: um what so was I guess it was your surgeon that described that you were also going to have to do chemotherapy that you were also going to have to do radiation. Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. Yep. David Raubach: What is and what is she telling you about those two processes at that point? What’s your understanding? Because she’s talking to you

David Raubach: about the surgery. She’s explaining what’s going to happen there and obviously that’s um a very invasive complicated procedure. Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. David Raubach: But then also you have these two other treatment modalities that you’ve got to figure out what it’s all about. What are you kind of starting to learn about chemotherapy and radiation at that point? Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. Um it was really interesting actually. They they really encouraged me to just focus on the chemotherapy because they had already made the decision that that needed to be the very first um you know the first phase of the treatment. And one really neat thing that Integris does, I don’t know if all hospitals and cancer centers do this,

Lauren Whitaker: but with Integris, they bring together all the different um disciplines of treatment or different areas and they collaborate on a treatment plan. So I knew that that prior to the day that I received all this information that those doctors had all been in a room together and stacked hands on my case. David Raubach: So that made me feel really good. I know a lot of people talk about getting second opinions and all that. Um, I didn’t really feel a huge impulse to do that because I felt like a lot of doctors were were weighing in on my treatment plan. But, um, but to answer your question, they I guess all agreed that chemo needed to

Lauren Whitaker: happen first. And I think that was because it was such a quick and aggressive form of breast cancer. So they knew that it was spreading quickly and they just needed to shrink the tumor and you know tackle any cells that had migrated or moved you know beyond the tumor area. And uh so that was really the main focus. And then they they kind of laid out the plan after chemo but said, you know, this is kind of a loose plan after the chemo phase because the results of chemo will really determine what those next steps are and how invasive surgery needs to be and you know what are the options for radiation and which order

Lauren Whitaker: those go in those kind of things. David Raubach: So, do do you remember what the the staging and I I’m going to say I’m going to use probably a term that may have been a term that came up the histology or the specific diagnosis or type of breast cancer that you had. Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. Well, I remember some of it, but I had to refresh myself and I have I brought the paper Yeah. that she um where she wrote everything down for me, but it was it was stage three. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Grade three. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: And she had written down stage does not equal grade, but I guess in my case both were three. Yeah,

Lauren Whitaker: it just happened to be the same. Um, and then the type that I had was estrogen positive. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Progesterone negative and her two positive. David Raubach: Okay. So, and then that so those those components the genetic components of the cancer also dictate treatments that you would go on. So like if you’re if you’re her her two positive then you would probably go on her septin. Lauren Whitaker: Yes, David Raubach: I guess is one of the treatments you know kind of go down the line there. So that that dictates everything. And and that brings up a good point is that we use the this word cancer very

David Raubach: generically like cancer. Oh well I have cancer right? But there cancer is really this kind of umbrella term for hundreds of different types of diseases and even just within a subtype like breast cancer. There’s many many different types of breast cancer type different types of cells that can become malignant. The genetic makeup of the cells is different. The way that they respond to uh treatments is different. The aggressiveness of the cancer is different. And so the the treatment then becomes almost as much of an art as a science because you and that and to your point that’s why it makes a lot of sense to have multiple doctors weigh in on the best way

David Raubach: to treat a patient because they’re coming at it from different perspectives and one doctor might say well this is a this is how I would address this. Another doctor might say well that makes sense but let’s think about adding this on. Um, and so yeah, it’s I think for everybody, it’s and like it’s interesting that you said you had to go back and look at your paperwork because it’s like it’s almost so complicated that you have to actually go back and remind yourself of what you had, right? Um, so then uh how did you first get connected with the proton center? Lauren Whitaker: Well, I received my chemotherapy here at the Integris Cancer

Lauren Whitaker: Institute. David Raubach: Cancer Institute. Yes. Which is connected or at least in the same sharing the same building, right? Lauren Whitaker: Um with you guys. And my radiation oncologist was in favor of me receiving proton therapy versus traditional radiation. That was Dr. Prabu. David Raubach: Yes. Dr. Prau. Yeah. And she’s been a radiation oncologist for a long time. has treated a lot of patients, a lot of breast cancer patients. So, she’s the one that uh refers you to the proton center. What did she because you know it’s also like radiation itself is this whole world and there’s different ways to deliver radiation and different machines and different acronyms and you know we talk about PBS

David Raubach: and IMRT and 3D conformal and IGRD and all these different acronyms that get thrown around. What are you starting to learn about radiation from Dr. Prabu or how is she describing why you do radiation and how it works and the way she thinks about delivering radiation? Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. Um I know she had told me that it’s it’s more protective of the surrounding organs and that was really the main premise for you know for recommending proton therapy for me because with breast cancer patients you the tumor is so close to your heart and your lungs and you know other organs just in that surrounding area. So that was the main my main takeaway and my you

Lauren Whitaker: know my understanding of it and even though I didn’t in the initial beginning phases before chemo I didn’t go to Dr. Google I did go to I did do my own research on proton therapy because I was just really curious I had really I’d known the proton center was here but I knew absolutely nothing about what it was or what that meant. Um whereas you know generally cancer you know what you’re getting into. Um, so I found some just little videos and kind of cartoon things on YouTube that really illustrated the way that it works and the way that proton the proton beam kind of enters your body and where it stops and

Lauren Whitaker: does not proceed to, you know, leave your body and and transmit through remaining or, you know, surrounding organs. So yeah, I don’t know that she went into that much depth explaining all of it, but she gave me the kind of the overview and it made me interested enough to want to learn more about David Raubach: and then you found some good resources online. I think that you know I think there are really good it Google Doctor or Google MD. Uh we talk about it being kind of a confusing and scary place, but there are a lot of good resources out on the internet, especially from a video standpoint that help explain you know what

David Raubach: is cancer or what is chemotherapy doing in the body or what is radiation doing in the body or how should I think about the different types of breast cancer. So, I do think that there’s good there there are a lot of great resources online and especially a lot of good resources at if you go to like the the websites for top cancer centers like you go to MD Anderson’s website, you go to Oklahoma Proton Center’s website, John’s Hopkins, Memorial Sunketering, they’re going to have a lot of good resources that have been vetted by their their physicians, right? So, um, so then, uh, what are your what’s going on with your kids at this point?

David Raubach: Like, what are they thinking about what mom is going through? How are you talking to your kids about this process? Lauren Whitaker: Well, I was really worried at first how to present this news to them. Um because with kids, you know, they were probably nine or 10 and 11 or 12 at that point. And I don’t know, cancer is just a scary word that a lot of times people think, oh, you have cancer, you’re going to die. And especially with kids, I was really worried that they might think I was just going to die. And so that, you know, I was really careful about making sure that I had my head in the right place

Lauren Whitaker: about it before I told them. So, I waited a couple couple of weeks, okay, before I ever shared any news with them, but I just was very quick to tell them, I have cancer, but I’m not going to die. Don’t worry, it’s all going to be okay. You know, I’m going to go through all these treatments and it’ll be all right. Um, so I feel like I kind of shielded them from a lot of it. Um, but then, you know, with the help of my family, too, um, I just tried to carry on as normal as possible. But they did know, you know, when I was, you know, following a chemo treatment, um,

Lauren Whitaker: you know, I would be more tired than usual and spending more time on the couch or sleeping longer, you know, grandma had to take them to school, you know, sometimes things like that. So, you know, I think it had a little bit of effect on them, of course, but we were just tried to be careful not to, I don’t know, drag them into the middle of it, I guess. David Raubach: Yeah. It’s almost like you want them to still be able to be kids. Lauren Whitaker: Yes. David Raubach: And like let you’re trying as the mom to not let this be as super disruptive to their lives. Lauren Whitaker: Y David Raubach: um but then they’re obviously seeing

David Raubach: what you’re going through and especially when you you start losing your hair, that’s like an obvious physical side effect of going through chemotherapy. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. David Raubach: what um and so I know one of the things that you did was uh you got connected with project 31 um and which is a great organization. They do a fantastic job um helping breast cancer patients just get through the process. How did you get connected with project 31 and what did you find beneficial getting involved with that organization? Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, actually I had seen their flyers around, but I actually had a close friend who knows Sarah. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: And Sarah’s husband. So I was connected via our

Lauren Whitaker: mutual friend um kind of directly with Sarah. So Sarah called me one day and yeah, I was able to and she kind of gave me the the rundown on um you know what the organization does and what services they provide and she invited me to you know the webinars and gave me the schedule of events and those things and so yeah it was really nice to have a just kind of a highle personal you know invitation into um involvement in their organization. But I think the takeaway for me was that there are a lot of people going through this. Yeah. Um I’m not alone and all of the symptoms and and just difficulties

Lauren Whitaker: I had to deal with going through my treatment. There are many many women who have walked that path before me and they’ve gotten through it. And look at them, they’re doing great now. So why won’t I do great? you know, it just gave me a lot of motivation and just a community of support that was there to lean on if I needed it. David Raubach: What um was there anybody I know your sisters were very supportive. Um was there and then Sarah was there anybody else that kind of really stood out as somebody that helped you maybe it was another breast cancer survivor or somebody that kind of helped you navigate through this process

David Raubach: or this journey? Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, I mean definitely my family was um instrumental. Um my next door neighbor Natalie, okay, is one of my best friends and she was just there for me every step of the way doing so much for me. All my neighbors actually, they would mow my grass and just so supportive, but so much love from from all my friends, but Natalie especially. She gave me this necklace that I’m wearing today. This rainbow one that it’s um this symbolizes over overcome overcoming Yeah. difficulties. So it’s beautiful. David Raubach: Wear that when I’m doing anything related to my cancer experience. So that’s amazing. What what we’re uh this is

David Raubach: something that we talk about with the patients that come to our facility when they’re first diagnosed. um you know there sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know as far as what you’re going to need going through the process or people will ask well how can I help and it’s like I don’t even know at this point what were some of the ways I mean you mentioned mowing the lawn were there some other things that you going through this uh process that you were like you know what that that was actually really helpful Lauren Whitaker: yeah I think definitely as a mom helping with my kids was huge huge anyone who offered to,

Lauren Whitaker: you know, pick them up from school or, you know, bring over dinner for them or, you know, anything related to just caring for the kids, um, was very helpful. Um, but I think also just just messages, people who would reach out and even just texting me. I feel like there was there people came out of the woodwork to just send me messages or and a card and, you know, or flowers or it didn’t even have to be anything big. Just reaching out and saying, “Hey, I know you’re going through this.” Um, and it may be somebody that I don’t normally talk to or somebody that I don’t even know. There were people who

Lauren Whitaker: were friends or acquaintances or family members of my friends and acquaintances and family members who I didn’t even know them and they would be consistently reaching out to me and following up and checking in and that just meant the world to me. It was amazing. David Raubach: What? Um, so did you find out while you were coming to the Proton Center that the CEO of the company that you worked for or the former CEO of the company that you worked for had helped bring the Proton Center to Oklahoma City? Lauren Whitaker: No, I didn’t find that out until a few weeks ago when you told me. David Raubach: Oh, that was when you found out. Oh, okay. Lauren Whitaker: I

Lauren Whitaker: did not know that there was a connection Yeah. with um Yeah. with Chesapeake and the Proton Center other than you know our personal connections and the the family members but no I did not know that the CEO there David Raubach: Yeah. So Aubrey McClendon, for those that don’t know, so Aubrey McClendon was the founder of Chesapeake, um, a prominent figure in Oklahoma City, did a lot for the city from a development standpoint, but one of the things that he did was provide a lot of the capital or a lot of the money to bring proton therapy to Oklahoma City. And there was mo personal motivation for him with a former employee that

David Raubach: had gone through cancer treatment. and he um really felt motivated and compelled to bring state-of-the-art cancer treatment to Oklahoma City so that patients that needed access to something like proton therapy wouldn’t have to leave to go to New York City or Houston or wherever to go get treatment. Um and so it’s amazing. I mean the Proton Center, it was just when this center opened, um and I say this center because for those that are just listening to the podcast, we’re recording at the Proton Center today. Um when this center opened it was just the sixth proton center in the country and there were many many big cities that didn’t have proton therapy but it was

David Raubach: here because of Chesapeake. Um and here you are working for Ches or I say because of Chesapeake partly because of Chesapeake because that obviously provided the money for Aubrey to invest in the proton center and then here you are working for Chesapeake when you get diagnosed. What um what was maybe the hardest part of going through this whole process or maybe a couple of just the hardest parts of going through this process? Lauren Whitaker: It was it was a long and treacherous process. I think for me this the side effect as far as side effects um probably fatigue and I had really bad hot flashes. I don’t know if that’s something that everyone experiences, but

Lauren Whitaker: oh that was just felt like that was debilitating. Um I never really got very sick. Um so not a lot of nausea or anything like that, but yeah, just fatigue and not being able to participate in my normal, you know, normal life. I love exercise and I like to run and I like, you know, to stay active and I just wasn’t able to do any of that. So that was tough. Um, just having to slow down was tough. Um, so yeah, that’s probably the worst part. Losing my hair. Yeah, was wasn’t fun. But, you know, there are wonderful. There’s amazing wigs and Yeah. All kinds of I had a David Raubach: Did

David Raubach: you experiment with different wigs, different hairstyles? Lauren Whitaker: Well, yeah. I discovered a baseball hat that had hair attached Oh, okay. to the back. So, you didn’t have to wear a fullon wig. It was just and I was going through my chemo during the summer time. So, it was perfect during that time of year um to just have a b this baseball cap thing that had a rim of hair around the back of it. And I lived in that thing. I loved it. David Raubach: Was there a hairstyle that you were like, “Oh, I’m not doing that again.” After you tried it, Lauren Whitaker: no, not really. It was just um David Raubach: You kind

David Raubach: of You kind of liked all of the ones that Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. Yeah. I just tried to match it as closely to my normal hair. Yeah. as I could. So, yeah. David Raubach: So, what was the most difficult moment mentally? I guess because I mean there’s these physical side effects that you talked about where were there points where it just really was like, man, this is I I don’t even know how I’m going to get through this? Lauren Whitaker: Well, honestly, no, because I don’t know how. Oh, I guess this was just a faith thing. But right from the start, I had no doubt that I was going to get through it. Um, I had

Lauren Whitaker: I never questioned whether I was going to survive this ordeal. Um, so I I don’t think I ever worried that I yeah, that I was going to make it through or that I was going to live. Um, but I guess mentally it was more like, you know, just this is it. Am I ever going to return to how I felt before cancer? That’s probably the biggest. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um, yeah. What are the long-term differences in my life? What’s what does this mean for the rest of my life? Because, yeah, like I said, I had no doubt that I was going to live through it and move on with my life, but what does

Lauren Whitaker: that rest of my life look like? and am I going to be the same person? Am I going to feel the same? Am I ever going to get my energy back and really, you know, be able to enjoy the activities that I enjoyed before? So, that’s probably the biggest mental hurdle for me. David Raubach: Do you feel like you’re a different person having gone through this? Lauren Whitaker: No, I feel like I’ve completely returned to my precancer. David Raubach: That’s amazing. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. Health. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. What? Um, so let’s talk about the movie. Okay. Um, I’m trying to think because I guess I mean I kind of know from my perspective. I don’t

David Raubach: think I’ve actually ever talked to you about this. I know from my perspective how it came about that you ended up in the movie, but like as you look back, how did you how did you end up participating in this documentary? What What is your perspective on how that all came about? Lauren Whitaker: Oh, I really want to hear your perspective, too. See if our stories line up. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um, okay. So, I came to an orientation here, which you guys do a great job about, you know, doing these little events for your patients to kind of give them some education and information around what’s going on. But um so I came

Lauren Whitaker: to the orientation and I think you all had a little questionnaire or something that we the that the guests could elect whether they were interested in participating in a commercial or marketing sharing their story. Yeah. Something like that. And and I I had seen your commercials in the past and Barry Switzer was in in your commercials. And so I thought, well, yeah, I’m gonna check this box because maybe I’ll get to meet Barry Switzer. That was my motivation for checking the box. David Raubach: I have not heard that. Yeah. Yes. And then I think it was only a day or two later. Did you get to meet Barry Switzer? Lauren Whitaker: Mm-m.

David Raubach: Oh my gosh. Well, I feel like we failed you. That we will we will remedy that. I promise, Lauren. Lauren Whitaker: Okay. All right. But I’ve gotten lots of other fun experiences out of it. So, David Raubach: you did get to meet Patty Gasso. So, Lauren Whitaker: that’s right. I did. Yeah. David Raubach: So, um, yeah. So, then I think it was just a few days later, I was driving to one of my first treatments. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. I don’t think it was the very first treatment, but it was, yeah, in that first week or so, you called me and asked if I would be interested in Well, no, you said you said you that I

Lauren Whitaker: had checked the box for a commercial, I think, but you had something else in the works, and would I be interested in this other idea. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: And at that point, I was just like, well, what do I have to lose? Of course. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Sure. Sign me up. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: That might have been the first of my new life philosophy or life life plan, which is say yes to everything that I’m asked to do. David Raubach: Well, I’m glad you did. Lauren Whitaker: So, yeah. David Raubach: So, we um just to kind of set the stage. So, um we had made the decision that we wanted to make a documentary about the history of

David Raubach: proton therapy. And we weren’t exactly sure at that point in time. Of course, this is three, four years ago. We weren’t exactly sure what it would look like because there’s so much to the history of proton therapy. There’s the there’s the development of the technology. There’s the development of different centers. There’s the figuring out how to treat patients. There’s the history of Oklahoma Proton Center, let’s say. And so we were still trying to navigate through what story we wanted to tell from the history side of things, but we knew that it was important to ground that history with imagery or a story of or pictures of a patient who was actually going through treatment. Because

David Raubach: ultimately the history is only relevant because of the patients that are impacted by the treatments. Um, and so we wanted to find somebody who was willing because a lot of times when we do the stories about or the commercials like you talked about or the stories that go on the Proton Center website, um, it’s after the fact, like it’s okay, treatment’s over. Let’s kind of talk about what what has been. U but we felt like for the documentary it would be more powerful if there if we could capture imagery of somebody while they were actually still living out the process and and maybe even we didn’t necessarily have all the details but maybe even

David Raubach: like have the cameras follow you at home or go to lunch with you or go to physical therapy or be in the do in the room with you as you’re meeting with the doctor. And so we had that in mind. I don’t think I described all that to you on the first phone call. Lauren Whitaker: No, I don’t think so. David Raubach: Um, and I can’t remember I can’t remember if I knew before I called you that you worked at Chesapeake. Um, or if I found that out as I was talking to you on the phone, but I thought that was kind of an interesting connection because you knew some people that I knew and um,

David Raubach: there was this connection to Chesapeake which is a connection to the history of Oklahoma Proton Center and the founding of Oklahoma Proton Center. And so, um, so I I said, “Okay, well, we’ve got something bigger.” Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. David Raubach: Beyond just a TV commercial. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. David Raubach: Um, and then we had him I I think the first thing that we did was we had you come and meet with the director of the film, Wendy. Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. Yep. David Raubach: And so, do you remember that meeting or kind of what that was like or what you’re thinking at that point? Lauren Whitaker: I do. Yeah. I think that was I remember when I arrived and you met me

Lauren Whitaker: in the lobby. That was when you started informing me that we had some of the same connections, the Chesake connection, I guess, cuz I wasn’t aware of that until that moment. David Raubach: Okay. Lauren Whitaker: Um, but then yes, we went into I guess you have a boardroom here. David Raubach: Yes. Lauren Whitaker: And we went into that room and I think I know Wendy was there and I think one of the the camera guys was there. Yeah. And um there was just talk about what the process is kind of like and they talked about how what to expect, what it would feel like and just kind of gave an idea just things for me to think about and really

Lauren Whitaker: decide whether I wanted to do it or not. Yeah. Um but you guys talked about David Raubach: You seemed hesitant at first. Lauren Whitaker: I was I was a little hesitant. David Raubach: We were asking a lot of you. Lauren Whitaker: Oh well. Yeah. And I didn’t I didn’t really know the full scope of what you were asking, but I David Raubach: I don’t think we necessarily knew at that point. You know, that the project was evolving and part of it Wendy does a good job. So Wendy Garrett’s the director of the film and um she does a good job uh as a documentary filmmaker talking about the process. And one of the things

David Raubach: that I’ve heard her say a few times is that if your story at the end is what you thought the story was going to be at the start, you didn’t listen to what the story was telling you as you went along the journey, right? And so even she’s she’s always been whereas I’m a little bit more like, okay, well this is what we’re going to do, her with her experience has always been a little bit more like, okay, well, we don’t actually necessarily know with the documentary how it’s going to evolve. like we just have to see how it evolves. Um, and then that’s a little scary, you know, if you’re

David Raubach: going to be the subject of a documentary. Um, so what was it what was it like having cameras at some of these like visits with the doctor? I think we had a camera at the house at one point. We had a camera you at lunch with Sarah McClean. What was that like? Lauren Whitaker: Well, it was different. I mean, I had never experienced it before, so it was kind of interesting. And, you know, there’s always a few minutes at the very beginning where you’re just so hyper aware of there being a camera on you. And you know, I get inside my head about things. And so, I’m thinking more about thinking about the

Lauren Whitaker: camera, you know, rather than just being natural and talking and relaxing and just being myself. So yeah, there’s definitely a hurdle right at the first, you know, first few minutes of each of those interactions, but then I guess, you know, as time goes on and, you know, the appointment or the meeting or whatever the situation was, you know, after get over that first initial hurdle, then you kind of forget and it was fine. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, then the film actually debuted at DeadCenter Film Festival in Oklahoma City. Um, and I don’t think we’ve said the name of the film. It’s The Accelerator. It’s the name of the film. Um, and

David Raubach: so you and your sisters came to that debut. And I don’t think you had seen the film at that point. Lauren Whitaker: No. David Raubach: Yeah. So that was the first time that you had seen it. What was it like watching the film there with a bunch of people from the public at a film festival? Lauren Whitaker: It was really fun, really exciting, um, really interesting. And I loved the movie. I felt like I would have been very interested in it and enjoyed it regardless of my involvement or my experience with proton therapy. I just thought it was a fascinating story and it’s relevant to everyone it in the world really because everyone you know

Lauren Whitaker: can relate to that story and or the the backstory I guess. Uh so yeah it was really just it felt like I was just at the movies and enjoying a new movie. Yeah. And yeah, and then after hearing the some of the commentary from the filmmakers and you and um the other folks that were involved, it was really interesting and just neat to be involved in that. David Raubach: Well, it was interesting too because the film ended up, you know, we were trying to tell this story about the history of proton therapy and the history element actually ended up being about a person about this guy Dr. Robert Wilson who is a a scientist

David Raubach: on the Manhattan project and becomes the person who comes up with the idea to treat patients or he really synthesizes there there are a few people talking about it but he was the one that synthesizes the ideas that existed about how to treat cancer with subatomic particles and he publishes a paper in 1946 but what was really neat about Dr. for Wilson is that he had all these letters and there was multiple interviews with him. His son had done a sit down interview with his dad and we had that footage and so it’s we were able to put together this amazing story about the history of proton therapy almost through his eyes. Um which

David Raubach: was rare to have that footage from somebody who lived in the 30s and 40s and 50s. Um so that was really neat. But I thought I thought that Wendy and Christopher Hunt, who did a lot of the editing, did a great job at the end of kind of tying the whole thing movie together with the footage of you talking with Dr. Prabu and you with your uh is it I think your nieces or Yeah. that are there and ringing the bell and doing the graduation and it just um it really it personified a dense scientific topic um and kind of tied the whole thing together and said, “Okay, yeah, but there’s this person.” Of

David Raubach: course, in this film, you happen to be that person that’s there at the end going through treatment. Um, and that’s the human element of all of this science and all of this history and all these dates and these facts. Um, and so I it was beautiful and I’m so grateful that you were willing to be a part of it. Um, and we do still have a lot of this footage that we need to finish up uh with that’s kind of separately all this additional footage that wasn’t in the film but of you going through the process of treatment. And I think that that would be really helpful for patients like that could become

David Raubach: a resource online where you talked about going and looking at these videos and it’s like okay well that helps me understand what I’m about to go through. Um and it was I’m again I’m so grateful that you were part of it. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. Yeah. Well I mean what a what an awesome opportunity that I never would have imagined that being diagnosed with cancer and that that would lead to this movie and my involvement in it. And it’s interesting though also what you just said about the movie and it personified this very scientific subject. One parallel that I was just thinking about when you were saying that is the family connection because I felt

Lauren Whitaker: like the movie really focused a lot on Dr. Wilson and his family also and my family was so involved and important in my whole journey. So, it’s interesting that that parallel was kind of connected in the movie. David Raubach: Yeah. No, and I and I think one of the things that we talk with patients about when they come to the Proton Center is the fact our patients bring this up all the time is that a cancer diagnosis a lot of times it’s it’s really not just a diagnosis of that person. It’s a diagnosis that impacts the whole family 100%. And sometimes in positive ways, sometimes in negative ways. And and I say positive because

David Raubach: sometimes it can bring families together. It can tear families apart. There’s uh you know you it it brings out things in family members that you don’t expect, good and bad. Um but and the point with all that is that cancer it’s it impacts everybody. It impacts your social circle. It impacts friends. Um and so it’s just and that becomes like part of the challenge of going through the journey. Lauren Whitaker: Yep. David Raubach: What um do you look back on your cancer diagnosis now and and say, “Well, this is the reason that I got cancer.” Is that something that you’ve formulated in your mind? Lauren Whitaker: Well, I do feel like because there was not a genetic

Lauren Whitaker: component, you know, it was not a there’s no cancer genes that are known of in my family. Um and I had no prior history with anything like this. And it was it just came up so suddenly and so aggressively that I feel like it was related to some trauma and stress that I was going through at the time. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um which was pretty extreme and acute at at that time. So, I feel like that’s probably what now whether that causes cancer, I don’t know, but I have no doubt that that influenced the timing of my diagnosis and and the you know the timing of the growth of that tumor. David Raubach: Yeah.

David Raubach: And well, there’s a direct we know that there’s a direct correlation between chronic inflammation and cancer incidents. We know that stress causes chronic can cause chronic inflammation. Lauren Whitaker: Mhm. David Raubach: Um, we know that stress weakens the body’s immune system and everybody, every person is has cells that are mutating every single day. And your body’s immune system goes in and they identify typically those mutations and either repair the mutation or or cause cell death or prevent that cell from replicating. So, uh, essentially your body’s immune system is is preventing cancer from happening. But if you have a weakened immune system, and certainly if there’s stress that’s weakening the immune system or stress that’s causing inflammation,

David Raubach: the it’s very possible that that can be a cause of cancer happening or or a breakdown in in your body’s natural ability to deal with mutations that are occurring. So certainly that that that can be a cause. Lauren Whitaker: Okay. David Raubach: So now I’m going to ask that question, but a little bit more. Uh, I’m going to say on like a a deeper kind of existential level, like do you feel like there’s like a life purpose for for you having cancer? Like what’s like the meaning behind it? Lauren Whitaker: Well, I would hope that the I mean, I do I do think I went through it for a reason and that it was kind of sets me

Lauren Whitaker: up and positions me to be able to help others that might be facing the same thing. Um, I think shining a light on that connection between stress and um and trauma and that sort of thing. The connection between that and cancer I don’t feel like has been emphasized enough. I know they’re starting to research that more and more and learn more about that connection, but um yeah, I think that’s been underestimated maybe in the past. So if I can have you know one small voice in this chorus of you know focus on reducing your stress and focus on you know taking care of yourself and your your mental and emotional well-being are

Lauren Whitaker: so important. So yes, I think that if if I had to go through cancer to be able to voice that message and and maybe get through to somebody, then it’s worth it and that’s a purpose that Yeah. I think is worthy. David Raubach: What would you say to somebody who is where you were at in May of 2022? Uh they’re walking out of the visit with the radiologist. The radiologist is like, “Well, we’ve got to send off for a biopsy. I think this is cancer. You talked about calling your mom. Hey, mom, can you go pick up the kids? I think I just got told I have cancer. That person’s coming out.” They

David Raubach: don’t like like you were at that point. You didn’t really have anybody else to talk to, but you happen to be talking to somebody who’s at that point. What do you say to that person? Lauren Whitaker: There was there was a patient advocate person who was there at the breast center when I was receiving that diagnosis and she didn’t know me or anything about me but she just she came in the room and sat across from me like this and she just took my hands and she cried literally cried with me. she cried and just said, “I’m so sorry. You know, I know this is so hard and and she just was there.” So, that’s

Lauren Whitaker: probably what I would try to do is just be a presence to hold someone’s hand and tell, you know, tell them it’ll be all be okay. But when you’re that person receiving those words, it doesn’t mean anything to you at that moment. um you can’t see past the current the current moment that you’re in. You know, it just seems like doom and gloom. So, yeah, just to be a person in the room. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Is probably what I would do in that moment. Um there’s plenty of times later for the message of, hey, it’s going to be okay. You’re going to get through it. You know, look at this person and they went

Lauren Whitaker: through everything you’re going through and look at them now. Those kind of things. But right there in that moment when you’re getting the diagnosis, none of that means anything. That’s just all of the treatments that might happen and you know the choices that you have to make. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah. You’re just kind of spinning in your head. You’re in a fog. You don’t even know what just happened, what hit you. So um it just meant a lot. I honestly I can’t even remember that lady’s name. David Raubach: Yeah. Lauren Whitaker: Um from that day, but and I don’t think she’s there anymore, but but you can see her face. David Raubach: Yes. And she just

Lauren Whitaker: sat there and literally held my hands and cried. David Raubach: Yeah. That’s amazing. I know. Well, you have been extremely present. Um, I know for patients that are being diagnosed, whether that’s directly interacting with them or through some of the advocacy that you’ve been a part of, or just creating awareness for resources that are available, treatments that are available. Um, and just I think the biggest thing with you is that I’ve seen is just that that can do attitude and that confidence that you’ve had that even during treatment like you said you you never thought I’m not going to get through this. Um, and you projected that with with the way that you spoke and

David Raubach: your actions and your uh even just your facial expressions. you just had this confidence about you and I know that that was encouraging to other people that interacted with you through the treatment process and I know that that’s been encouraging for people that have interacted with you afterwards. Um, and I I I don’t mind speaking for Wendy because she’s told me this, the director of the film, she was just blown away as seeing your courage and resilience and perseverance as she interacted with you and I mean she just thinks the world of you. um having spent time with you, literally going through the treatment process, but you know, her behind the camera. Um so,

David Raubach: thank you for everything that you’ve done and everything that you’re going to continue to do. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, that’s amazing. I love to hear that. And yes, I am open to all the opportunities that are available to help. And um yeah, if I can be that person to be there for the next person being diagnosed, I want to do that. Um, yeah. So, keep on bringing me the opportunities. David Raubach: Well, thank you for coming on the podcast. Lauren Whitaker: Well, thank you for inviting me. David Raubach: Yeah, this is so fun. Lauren Whitaker: Yeah, you did a great job. Your first podcast. You’re a pro now. This is good. David Raubach: All right. Well, thank you for sharing

David Raubach: your story, Lauren. I really appreciate it and I look forward to talking to you again very soon. Lauren Whitaker: All right. Well, thank you so much. David Raubach: Thanks.