Stella Sun has been figure skating for 40 years, but a troubling diagnosis last year left her worried that her lifelong passion was on thin ice.
“I’ve been skating all my life,” she says. “I started at 28, and now I’m 77.”
Thanks to innovative minimally invasive endoscopic technology at Methodist Richardson Medical Center, this Plano resident has made her triumphant return to the rink with a message for anyone with risk factors for digestive cancer.
“I want them to think about prevention and planning ahead so they don’t have to get to a point where it’s as serious as end-stage cancer,” she says. “So they can still do the things they love.”
Recognizing her own risky family history, Stella made a point to prioritize her health and ensure she could keep skating.
Stella spent years competing professionally in pairs skating with her partner.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
In August 2023, Stella had a routine upper endoscopy, a relatively painless procedure that captures images of the stomach using a camera on a long thin tube, or endoscope.
“My doctor told me he found a tumor in my stomach,” she says. “It was a lump that was embedded very deep.”
Stella’s commitment to routine checkups was a choice deeply influenced by the loss of her mother to cancer.
“She always had stomach problems,” she says. “And when they found out, it was already too late.”
Not wanting to take that chance, Stella was referred to Abdul H. El Chafic, MD, medical director of advanced endoscopy on the medical staff at Methodist Richardson.
“Stella was sent to me to evaluate a lesion found in her stomach,” Dr. El Chafic says. “She was very anxious and wanted to get scheduled as soon as possible to potentially remove it.”
Dr. El Chafic diagnosed Stella with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. While it was a small tumor, such tumor types carry a risk of becoming cancerous and can potentially spread if left untreated.
“Since my tumor had the potential to develop into cancer, I knew I needed to have it removed,” Stella says.
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TAKING THE NEXT STEP
Dr. El Chafic was able to remove the tumor using an innovative endoscopic device through the mouth that eliminates the need for traditional surgery and spares the patient a hospital stay.
This minimally invasive procedure uses an endoscope to fully remove deep lesions like Stella’s, rather than shaving off superficial lesions. The full-thickness resection device (FTRD) then simultaneously closes the resection site with a clip.
“Patients can be discharged and home the same day without the need for inpatient recovery,” Dr. El Chafic says. “Stella is currently living without fear that she has a tumor that may cause major problems in the future.”
A quick recovery was important to Stella because she wanted to return to her favorite pastime. Skating remains a powerful outlet for her to express joy, as well as the grief of losing her husband last summer.
“As I was leaving the hospital, I asked my doctor if I could go skate,” Stella says. “I feel like myself when I’m dancing on the ice.”
Now back in her element, Stella plans to continue skating for many more years to come.
BACK ON THE ICE
In her earlier years, Stella competed in pairs skating, performing in harmony with a partner. Now, she enjoys skating solo, with the music as her guide.
“I can’t skate without it,” Stella explains. “I’ve been ice dancing since I was 40, and I’ve just started singing along to my own music.”
Now, thanks to her surgery at Methodist Richardson, that music won’t stop, and neither will Stella’s skating.
“It just feels good,” she says. “I forget about everything else.”
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