OBI Worker Smiles Through Battle With Rare Blood Cancer

For 25 years, Cindy Cano has been a bright spot for the workers and donors at the Oklahoma Blood Institute in Lincoln, but in addition to working here, she’s also a recipient.

It would be tough to find a day when Cano isn’t smiling. “I come to work every day, I square dance during my spare time, I try to stay active,” said Cano.

She may smile because of the fall. “Back in 21, I fractured my back, helping my husband up, he fell,” said Cano. 

She laughs now, because his fall may have saved her life. “I truly believe that it did, because that was my first back fracture,” said Cano.

While treating her back, doctors noticed problems with her blood. “So I went into an oncologist and had some blood work done, and the oncologist said that he believes that I have multiple myeloma,” said Cano.

It is a very rare blood cancer, and even when the test was confirmed, Cano never changed. “You’re telling me I have a rare form of blood cancer and I work for a blood institute,” said Cano.

She is currently undergoing Chemo and remaining positive. “I’m getting ready to do a bone marrow biopsy to see if we can do a stem cell collection, and if I do a stem cell collection then I’ll go through a stem cell transplant,” said Cano. 

She now uses her story to educate donors and thank them from a different perspective. “She brings a light into every room, and I couldn’t imagine OBI without her,” said Cano’s coworker Hailey Chapman.

And even when the circumstances may justify a bad day, she still smiles. “I’m ok, I’m ok, even though we know she’s in pain and she’s hurting but she’s a very stubborn loving lady,” said coworker Samantha Galagos. “Life doesn’t stop because you get cancer or you get into a car accident, life continues to go on, it’s what you make it,” said Cano.

Later this month Cindy will go back to her doctor to see if she qualifies for a stem cell transplant, of course, we’re all praying for the best.