When Erica Laegeler was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in 2024, she never expected her recovery to lead her on a much bigger journey through her health.
At the time, she was focused on getting through treatment and recovering from a mastectomy. But when complications arose during her recovery, she began looking for additional support, and that search eventually brought her to the Institute of Natural Health.
It Started With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
During recovery from her mastectomy, Erica experienced a complication that put her healing at risk. Her care team recommended hyperbaric oxygen therapy, so she began looking for a facility in St. Louis that offered it.
That search led her to INH.
What started as a treatment focused on helping her recover soon became a much broader conversation about her health.
Diet. Sleep. Stress. Toxins. Gut health.
Rather than looking at these factors in isolation, Erica and the INH team began looking at the bigger picture and how they could support her overall health alongside the care she was already receiving from her oncology team.
When the Next Decision Wasn’t an Easy One
As Erica continued through her cancer treatment, she faced another difficult decision.
Her oncologist explained that her Oncotype score was borderline and gave her a short window to decide whether chemotherapy was right for her. Erica ultimately chose radiation but did not undergo chemotherapy.
Throughout that process, she continued working with her oncology team while also communicating with the team at INH.
For Erica, having another perspective to help her understand her options gave her additional support during an incredibly uncertain time.
Looking Beyond a Single Test
After her initial treatment, Erica pursued additional testing, including testing designed to look at circulating tumor cells.
The results raised concerns for her, and she brought those results back to her oncologist. That conversation ultimately led to additional imaging.
The PET scan revealed a recurrence of her cancer at Stage 4.
She was told she had an estimated five to ten years left.
“I wasn’t myself.”
For Erica, the news was devastating. But it also marked the beginning of another chapter in her care.
Building a Personalized Plan
Following the recurrence, Erica continued working with her oncology team while also exploring additional supportive approaches with INH.
Additional testing was used to help identify potential therapeutic agents to discuss with her medical team. Based on those results and her existing cancer treatment, Erica worked with her providers to develop a more personalized approach.
She ultimately began treatment with letrozole and Kisqali, while also incorporating therapies including high-dose vitamin C under her care team’s guidance.
Four months later, she returned for another PET scan.
The results showed no evidence of disease, and her circulating tumor cell measurements were decreasing as expected.
Importantly, her care involved ongoing coordination with her oncologist. The goal was never to replace conventional oncology care, but to give Erica additional information and support as she navigated an incredibly complex diagnosis.
“There Are a Lot of People That Are Rooting for Me.”
Today, Erica describes her experience at INH as more than simply receiving another treatment.
For her, it was having people who listened, helped her make sense of information, encouraged communication with her oncology team, and continued looking at her health from multiple angles.
“When I would come in here, it just felt like there are a lot of people that are rooting for me,” Erica shared. “That are trying everything they can to help.”
Her story is a reminder that navigating a serious diagnosis can involve more than one conversation or one provider. It can mean asking questions, seeking information, advocating for yourself, and building a team that supports you throughout the process.
Erica’s journey is her own, and her experience should not be interpreted as a guarantee of outcomes for other patients. Cancer treatment decisions should always be made in partnership with your qualified medical team.
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Start Here: https://inhstl.com/discovery/
