[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/cancer-survivor-paulette-stallone-going-the-distance-with-help-from-others-and-to-help-others\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/cancer-survivor-paulette-stallone-going-the-distance-with-help-from-others-and-to-help-others\/","headline":"Cancer Survivor Paulette Stallone: Going the Distance with Help from Others and to Help Other","name":"Cancer Survivor Paulette Stallone: Going the Distance with Help from Others and to Help Other","description":"Cancer Survivor Paulette Stallone: Going the Distance with Help from Others and to Help Other July 30, 2025 Paulette Stallone thought that the nurses looked worried, and that worried her.\u201cI said to my husband, \u2018Something is very wrong; they all seem really nervous.\u2019 He tried to reassure me and talked about the importance of staying […]","datePublished":"2025-07-30","dateModified":"2025-08-05","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/seo-user\/#Person","name":"Advance SEO","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/author\/seo-user\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25d521bea98e4070937950c92cd06d2b99615947d3d29e3682593c48f0372431?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25d521bea98e4070937950c92cd06d2b99615947d3d29e3682593c48f0372431?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Regional Cancer Care Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo.svg","width":506,"height":228}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Paulette-Stallone-thumb2.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Paulette-Stallone-thumb2.jpg","height":326,"width":400},"url":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/cancer-survivor-paulette-stallone-going-the-distance-with-help-from-others-and-to-help-others\/","about":["All Cancers"],"wordCount":2018,"keywords":["News & Events"],"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCancer Survivor Paulette Stallone: Going the Distance with Help from Others and to Help Other\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJuly 30, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPaulette Stallone thought that the nurses looked worried, and that worried her.\u201cI said to my husband, \u2018Something is very wrong; they all seem really nervous.\u2019 He tried to reassure me and talked about the importance of staying positive,\u201d the Manalapan resident says in recalling the ominous vibe she felt in a hospital recovery area following a colonoscopy in February 2009.Although Ms. Stallone is an optimist by nature and possesses a can-do attitude honed over many years of long-distance running, she could be forgiven if she was struggling to remain upbeat that day. The colonoscopy was the latest procedure she had undergone to try to determine the cause of the debilitating fatigue, dangerously low potassium levels, and other complaints that had plagued her for more than a year. There had been numerous imaging studies and blood tests along the way, as well as antibiotic treatments and hospital stays, including one to remove an abscessed ovary. Despite all those evaluations and interventions, the doctors still had not been able to identify the underlying reason for her problems.The colonoscopy provided the answer she had long sought but now contemplated with dread: at age 44, and with two young children, she had rectal cancer. Further, the procedure showed that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tManalapan resident Paulette Stallone, pictured with her family, shares her journey of cancer recovery and how she is paying it forward.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeeting the OncologistAs Ms. Stallone and her husband returned home late that afternoon, a new challenge arose. How would she break the news, which she was still processing herself, to her mother, who was at the house watching the children? She was just starting to talk with her mother when the phone rang. The caller explained that she worked for Dr. Bhavesh Balar, and that Ms. Stallone\u2019s gastroenterologist had informed Dr. Balar \u2013 a medical oncologist \u2013 of the colonoscopy results and had asked Dr. Balar to see Ms. Stallone.\u201cI said, \u2018What day does he want me to come in?\u2019 and Dr. Balar\u2019s office manager said, \u2018Can you come over now?\u2019 This was late Friday afternoon. When my husband and I arrived at Dr. Balar\u2019s office, all his staff had gone home. He waited there to meet with us, and he spent an hour and a half learning about my case, explaining in detail what he recommended and why, and answering all my questions,\u201d Ms. Stallone says. The oncologist also arranged for her to have a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. That sophisticated imaging study revealed that Ms. Stallone\u2019s cancer had spread to her lung, meaning that she had Stage IV disease.While Dr. Balar\u2019s manner in relaying that finding was gentle, the regimen required to treat the advanced cancer was tough. It entailed Ms. Stallone receiving chemotherapy\u00a0five days a week for about six weeks, along with radiation. \u201cI wore a chemo bag 24 hours a day five days a week,\u201d Ms. Stallone recalls. That initial treatment was followed by surgery, another six months of chemotherapy, and then a second surgery to resect the lung metastases.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDr. Balar, board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist, practicing in Freehold, NJ\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFighting Cancer One Step at a TimeSixteen years later, Ms. Stallone credits her recovery to several factors. They include the love and support of her husband, children, and extended family; the caring and skill of Dr. Balar and her other physicians; the ramen noodles that were the only food she could keep down during the worst weeks of her chemotherapy; and, she adds, running three miles a day, four days a week, throughout most of her treatment!Ms. Stallone explains, \u201cI was sitting there at chemo one day and I said to myself, \u2018I’m going to give up running because this is just too much.\u2019 When I went home and told my daughter, Nicole, who is my running partner, she looked at me and without thinking twice, said, \u2018If you give up on running, you’re going to give up on yourself.\u2019 I realized that she was right and that I wouldn\u2019t be the same person. I decided that I wasn’t going to let cancer get to me, so I put on my running shoes and got moving. From that day on, I did my treatments and then I went out and pushed myself to run.\u201dShe says, \u201cWhen I realized how important running was to me, I tried running on my treadmill first and then, when I saw that I could do that, I went back to running outside, but I was careful to be smart about it and not push myself too much.\u201d Ms. Stallone adds that Dr. Balar embraced running not only as a prescription for her emotional well-being but also for his\u00a0own health. \u201cAt a visit about a year later, he explained that he had joined the gym at CentraState Medical Center and was running on the treadmill there,\u201d she explains with obvious delight.Expertise and Cancer Support Close to HomeMs. Stallone chose to receive her chemotherapy at the Freehold, NJ, office of Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), where Dr. Balar practices. \u201cI kind of kept that a secret at first because I didn\u2019t want people telling me, \u2018You have to go to New York City for treatment. You have to go to one of the big centers there.\u2019 I didn\u2019t have the time to do that, and there was no way I could have gone back and forth from the city while on chemo \u2013 the same chemo that I was given at RCCA, which is 20 minutes from my home. Also, I would walk into Dr. Balar\u2019s office and the receptionist would say, \u2018Hello, Paulette, how are you feeling today?\u2019 The nurses would come out to get me and set up my treatment right away. They were wonderful and kept a close eye on me and took care of whatever I needed. Dr. Balar or one of the other doctors in the office would check on me. The doctors at RCCA are amazing. I can\u2019t thank them enough, particularly Dr. Balar. He was with me every step of the way and was always on top of things. Right at the start, he said that I needed a PET (positron emission tomography) scan, which insurance often will not approve. He got that done and coordinated my care with my other doctors, and was there for me the entire time, not only with excellent care but also with great encouragement. I owe my life to him.\u201dThat life centers around family. Today, Ms. Stallone and her husband of 37 years dote on their daughter\u2019s two children and are looking forward to their son\u2019s upcoming wedding. She is grateful for every day that she has to enjoy with the people in her life. She explains, \u201cWhen I was sick from the chemo, there were times when I would think, \u2018I can\u2019t take this anymore.\u2019 Then I would close my eyes and think of my family. I couldn\u2019t stop because I had children to raise. I used to get irritated when people would say, \u2018You have to fight,\u2019 because the fighting can be so hard, so now I tell people to fight as best they can on any given day. If they can\u2019t eat that meal today, that\u2019s OK. Eat a little less or something that you can eat, but don\u2019t give in to the cancer because you are stronger than it is.\u201dGiving Back by Paying it ForwardIn the 16 years since her initial diagnosis, Ms. Stallone has devoted her talents and considerable energy to fighting rectal cancer. That includes organizing runs and walks (in which Dr. Balar and his family have participated) and other events that have raised more than $450,000 for cancer research and treatment. She also is active in support groups, organizes meals for people on chemotherapy, and makes herself available to other people with the disease, who frequently call or text seeking perspective and hope from someone who has \u201cbeen there.\u201dDr. Balar, the medical oncologist who has cared for Ms. Stallone since 2009, says, \u201cPaulette is an inspiration to everyone who encounters her. She exudes warmth and caring, and her commitment to helping others has made a difference in the lives of countless individuals through the events she has organized, the support she has provided, and the hope that she offers all who hear her story. She even got me running!\u201d++++++++Ms. Stallone\u2019s doctor, Bhavesh Balar, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist who practices in RCCA\u2019s Freehold, NJ, office. Regional Cancer Care Associates is one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists. Dr. Balar earned his medical degree, cum laude, from the University of South Florida College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine. Dr. Balar then completed his fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa. He has treated patients in central New Jersey since 2006, practicing at RCCA\u2019s Freehold office with Drs. Jeffrey Silverberg, Gurpreet S. Lamba, Aileen L. Chen, and Carl Henningson. Dr. Balar is among 100+ medical oncologists and hematologists\u00a0who practice with Regional Cancer Care Associates (RCCA), one of the nation\u2019s largest networks of oncology specialists. RCCA has more than 20\u00a0locations near you\u00a0across New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and the Washington, D.C.,\u00a0area. RCCA\u2019s cancer specialists see more than 30,000 new patients each year and provide care to more than 265,000 established patients, collaborating closely with those patients\u2019 other physicians. RCCA physicians offer patients innovative therapies, including immunotherapies\u00a0and targeted therapy, as well as access to approximately 300\u00a0clinical trials. In addition to serving patients who have solid tumors, blood-based cancers, and benign blood disorders, RCCA care centers also provide\u00a0infusion services to people with a number of non-oncologic conditions\u2014including\u00a0multiple sclerosis,\u00a0Crohn\u2019s disease,\u00a0asthma, iron-deficiency anemia, and\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u2014who take intravenously-administered medications.To learn more about RCCA, call 844-346-7222 or contact us.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\twe are here for you\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor more information or to schedule an appointment, call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the\u00a0RCCA location\u00a0nearest you.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\trequest an appointment\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRELATED ARTICLES\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDeciding Where to Receive Cancer Care: RCCA Oncologists Outline Key 5 Considerations\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cMy uncle\u2019s neighbor was diagnosed with the exact same cancer, I think, last year and his specialist has been wonderful. I\u2019m going to get you\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen You Diagnose (or Suspect) Cancer: 3 Reasons to Refer Your Patients to RCCA\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cWhat happens next?\u201d \u201cWhere should I go for treatment?\u201d They are questions physicians often hear after informing a patient that they have identified confirmed or\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018Blood Work\u2019 and Cancer Detection: 2 RCCA Oncologists Explain What Doctors Look for in Your CBC\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u201cYou\u2019re going to feel a little pinch.\u201d Each year, tens of millions of Americans hear that phrase, or words to the same effect, just before\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn More\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tColorectal Cancer in Women: 5 Fast Facts52,810 new cases of colon cancer expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. in 2025.119,000 new cases of rectal cancer expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. in 2025.11-in-26 lifetime risk for developing colorectal cancer in women (however, a woman\u2019s \u00a0risk can vary significantly from this average based on diet, exercise habits, genetics, and other factors.)\u00a01Approximately 24,000 deaths from colorectal cancer expected in women the U.S. in 2025.2Fourth-leading cause of cancer-related death in women.1Sources: 1. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Colorectal Cancer. Available at https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/types\/colon-rectal-cancer\/about\/key-statistics.html. Accessed May 17, 2025. 2. Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2025. CA Cancer J Clin. 2025; 75:10-45.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRegional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cancer Survivor Paulette Stallone: Going the Distance with Help from Others and to Help Other","item":"https:\/\/www.regionalcancercare.org\/news\/cancer-survivor-paulette-stallone-going-the-distance-with-help-from-others-and-to-help-others\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]