University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

10/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/21/2026 12:43

Life on the other side of a diagnosis

Being diagnosed with cancer fundamentally rocks you to your core. From the minute you hear the news, the only thing you want to hear is that it's gone. I thought about my kids, my family, and what it would mean for all of us. I gave myself a moment, and then I said, "OK, now we just have to figure out how we're going to solve this."

When I met Dr. Hiatt and my care team at Mission Cancer + Blood, they immediately understood my life and my family. They walked me through everything in a way that was consumable, even when I didn't know the right questions to ask.

I always felt like I had access to the care I needed. Everyone on my team was available to me. They even gave me their cell numbers to call at any time. They were empathetic, sincere, and incredibly responsive.

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I worked through treatment, keeping life as normal as possible for my kids. My care team helped me navigate it in a way that allowed me to still show up where it mattered most. Having that level of care close to home, with the expertise and resources I needed, made everything feel more manageable. At the end of the day, my team helped me at every step of my breast cancer journey. They saved my life.

I'm excited to get back to the normal things, to plan vacations, and to watch my kids grow up. Cancer changes you, but there is life on the other side of a diagnosis.

Meghan McConville
Breast cancer survivor
Windsor Heights, Iowa

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Photos contributed by Meghan McConville
Photos contributed by Meghan McConville
Photos contributed by Meghan McConville
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics published this content on October 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 21, 2026 at 18:43 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]