Jodi Scherwitz-Boling was diagnosed with cancer on May 7, 2024. However, her unwavering strength and determination have inspired everyone around her.
A dedicated nurse with 23 years of experience in the Neurotrauma Critical Care Unit, she has spent her career helping others through some of their most challenging moments. As she faces the challenges in her own life, it’s her resilience that continues to be a source of hope and encouragement for her family, friends, and community.
"I was diagnosed at 53 years old,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “I had just finished my treatment—nine months of cancer treatment. It all happened so unexpectedly. A year ago, I had a ruptured cervical disc and had to undergo emergency surgery. It was suggested that I get a mammogram since it had been about 18 months. I agreed, and that’s when I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer."
Being diagnosed with cancer was a shock for her, especially since she has two young boys who are now 14 and 16, and there was no family history of breast cancer at all. Thankfully, she got help from her friends who work at Premier Oncology Hematology Associates. Dr. Julie Prieboy, RN, MS, AOCNS, is also an oncology nurse practitioner.
"Julie is one of my dearest friends. She works with Dr. Ghassan Jano, M.D., and they have guided me through this entire process,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “Within two weeks of my diagnosis, I had my first chemotherapy treatment. I underwent three rounds of chemotherapy, each spaced three weeks apart.”
Scherwitz-Boling had four positive lymph nodes, indicating a higher recurrence risk. The oncologist recommended her to meet with a specialist, who confirmed the next steps in her treatment plan included 12 more rounds of chemotherapy.
"Going through this journey, I stayed optimistic. I was leaning on the support of my family, especially my husband and my amazing children,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “Dr. Prieboy and Dr. Jano were there for me and my friends. I have a best friend of 47 years whose support meant the world to me. My husband's family, including his mom, dad, sister, and brother-in-law, were also incredible sources of strength. My faith in God and the guidance of my pastor have helped me throughout the whole process. Optimism, prayer and the belief that I would beat this even in the darkest time kept me going."
She had a surreal moment when she finally rang the bell on February 7. It was exactly nine months to the day since her diagnosis.
"It was a moment where I could finally close that chapter,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “The sheer hell of those nine months, everything my body had endured—it was overwhelming. My husband, kids, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law were there. I had my radiation treatment at Saint Mary’s. The entire team there, along with all the caregivers who came into my life during that time, provided incredible support. I walked out to the song ‘We Are the Champions’ when I finished. We were all crying; it was such a relief to know it was done."
Once she rang the bell, it was official. Scherwitz-Boling was cancer-free. Her lymphedema therapist, Darcie Gresham, nominated her to be honored at a Purdue University Women's Basketball game the following week.
"One of my former nursing students, Marlene Gorgie, came in the day I was going in for my double mastectomy,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “She and another former student brought me the best joke gift. I’m always joking and love to keep things light, so they played right into that. They brought me a bedpan, a Sensi-bath, and a Fleet enema, calling it my ‘nursing bouquet.’ It was the perfect way to bring humor into a tough moment, making everything feel slightly lighter."
Community means a lot to her. It also means a lot to her family, husband, closest friends, church, and especially her healthcare team. Dr. Prieboy, her oncology nurse practitioner and one of her best friends for over 25 years, has been an enormous support. They started as co-workers 25 years ago. The two recently had lunch together, where Scherwitz-Boling thanked Dr. Prieboy for saving her life.
"I’m appreciative of the support of my community, my church family, my neighbors, my close friends, and even friends from college. Some of these people I haven’t seen in about 20 or 30 years,” Scherwitz-Boling said. “Everyone’s generosity has been incredible. You don’t truly realize your impact on others or the imprint you leave until you’re going through something like this. People always tell you how kind, compassionate, and nice you are, but it’s not until you're in a situation like this that you see how many lives you’ve touched."
For more information on Scherwitz-Boling and Premier Oncology Hematology Associates, click here.
