MVH employees rally around one of their own during cancer battle
Charlene Yates embodies perseverance and the ability to overcome anything.
“I’ve got this,” Yates exclaims with a broad, reassuring smile.
Those three words, repeated for every person she greets, serve to reassure them — and her. The Washington Township woman is determined to beat cancer.
It is a journey she has faced before.
A recent breast cancer survivor, Yates discovered a lump on the right side of her neck one day this spring.
A needle biopsy was first conducted by Dr. Louis Felder at Spartan Health Center. On May 2, Yates was diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma.
“I cried for a week,” Yates said. “I couldn’t think about anything without crying.”
No one cancer cell sticks out as the possible origin of the neuroendocrine carcinoma. Currently in stage 4, it is spreading. She has two cancer cells on her brain and the left side of her neck as well as others on the right side of her neck, under her right arm and on her windpipe.
The new diagnosis is unrelated to her battle with breast cancer.
“It’s just a dose of bad luck,” Yates said.
Still, she gets encouragement because she already beat cancer once.
“I am very much positive,” Yates said. “I have to just think positive. I appreciate every day, live every day to its fullest.”
But she recognizes this time around, the cancer is totally different, much more intense. The treatment will be more long-term. Radiation and chemotherapy will continue 18 to 27 weeks.
“I got this,” Yates said. “I’m too young, and I have two sons and two beautiful granddaughters.”
Yates’ son and daughter-in-law, Ryan and Chrissy, live in Washington Township with their two daughters, Madison, 3 1/2 and Kelsey, 1. Her son Brad lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife Caiti.
The latest diagnosis is her second bout of cancer in a little over two years.
Yates was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2015. She had a mammogram and five sessions of radiation.
A year later, genetic testing revealed she was susceptible for the cancer to return. She opted for a double mastectomy.
“It was a hard decision, but I had to do it,” Yates said.
Tissue tests done after her surgery indicated that the tests were correct.
Yates was a nutrition assistant on the sixth floor of Monongahela Valley Hospital when she was diagnosed in May. She underwent brain treatments while still on the job, beginning chemotherapy June 20.
“Our hospital helped me from diagnosis to the testing,” Yates said.
“I would go on my lunch for the eight-minute treatments. They worked with my schedule. They let me work through my radiation.”
She did her radiation and oncology on-site at the Charles L. & Rose Sweeney-Melenyzer Pavilion and Regional Cancer Center.
“I wanted to keep my peace of mind and try to keep life as normal as possible,” Yates said.
Her sister, Pam Sokol, is an escort at the hospital and former nursing assistant. She has worked at the hospital for 16 years. They have two other sisters, Carrie Morris and Paula Brown.
Yates, 54, said Sokol was her “nurse” through her treatments for breast cancer.
“I think she’s amazing,” said Sokol. “She’s going to fight it.”
“I got this,” Yates relies.
“Heck yeah,” Sokol answers.
Recently, close to 500 people attended a fundraiser dinner at the River House Cafe in Charleroi. Ten percent of the sales went to Yates’ medical care fund. Sixty-nine baskets were auctioned off, including a flat screen television donated by United Steelworkers Local 8041 — which represents hospital employees — as well as a pontoon ride at the Yough Marina and three sets of Pittsburgh Pirates game tickets.
The guests, mostly fellow employees at Monongahela Valley Hospital, wore blue T-shirts which read, “Charlene’s Warriors.”
“I’m not in this fight alone,” Yates said. “I felt so much positive energy and prayers here. It’s amazing the positive support you get from here. We have an awesome family here at the hospital.”
Yates has hopes and plans to come back to work.
“I have to have a positive outlook,” Yates said. “That’s my plan. I have too many good family and friends.
“It’s been a tough road. God must think I’m one strong person. I’m going to kick every cancer cell to the curb.”