Jim Young and his wife had just settled in Carson City when he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Instead of heading to a larger city as some suggested, he chose to get treated locally by Dr. Perez. Today his cancer is in remission.

By David Young

“Mr. Young 99% of my prostate cancer patients die of something else. But I'm afraid you are in the 1% who will die of this disease.”

After a full career working for the State of California in the capital, Ralph Evans was ready for a change of pace. When he retired to Dayton, Nevada in 2016, he was looking forward to the quiet country and relaxing afternoons on his front porch. Unfortunately, he hit a detour on the way there.

When Carrie Dryer was diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, she was grateful to finally have a “cause” for the extremely painful bruising on her legs, excessive monthly bleeding and high blood pressure.

Marilyn Knipe was tired. All the time. While the 89-year old expected to be slowing down a bit at her age, she knew sleeping most of the day, and night, was just not normal for her.

Author’s note: While oncology comprises the bulk of Dr. Jorge Perez’s practice, he is board certified in both oncology and hematology. For patients with blood disorders, his knowledge and expertise can be life-changing.

Susan W. was a healthy, fit 55-year old professional living in San Francisco who enjoyed hiking and yoga. Until she wasn’t.

In early 2017, Sandy Sepsey of Fallon, Nevada had an uneasy feeling—as if a pill was stuck in her throat. She went to her general practitioner to investigate. While initial blood tests came back normal, Sandy knew something wasn’t right and asked for a chest x-ray. It revealed a mass in her right lung, prompting a biopsy that confirmed her suspicion. In March, she was diagnosed with non-operable small cell lung cancer.

Madelyn Stikes, a retired English and special education teacher, has been training to beat cancer practically her whole life. She just didn’t know it. “I figured out how to help middle schoolers with learning challenges not to give up,” she said. “I believe in doing the best you can with what you have, and I taught that to my students.” 

Every individual’s reaction to getting a cancer diagnosis is unique. When Constantine Kuzmicki of Wellington, Nevada got his, he reacted in a very no-nonsense manner. “Okay, so I have a melanoma,” he thought. “Either I die of cancer or we do something about it. It’s no big deal.” 

Reno resident Dorman Dane was diagnosed with an inoperable form of cancer. His primary care physician told him see Dr. Perez. With complete confidence, Dorman made an appointment at Sierra Nevada Cancer Center.