A Cancer Journey at the Riverside Cancer Institute: Ericka's Story

A cancer diagnosis changes everything in an instant. For Ericka Esters, a mother of five from Kankakee County, that moment came after months of frightening symptoms and a lot of unanswered questions. What followed was a journey through treatment that she says she could not have faced alone… and a care team she cannot stop talking about.

When Something Was Clearly Wrong

It started with excessive bleeding. In fact, so severe that Ericka would pass out. Ambulances were called routinely; sometimes at home, sometimes at work. “There was nothing I could do to stop the bleeding,” she recalls. “It just had to resolve on its own.”
Emergency room visits and blood transfusions became part of her life. At first, doctors thought it might be fibroids. More testing told a different story. It was cervical cancer.
Her gynecologist referred her to an oncology specialist, Dr. Dewdney, a Rush provider who sees patients at Riverside Cancer Institute. Even before a biopsy, the diagnosis was clear. She could already tell that it was cancer,” Ericka shares.

Stepping Into the Cancer Institute

Hearing the words “Cancer Institute” for the first time was surreal. “Every time I heard the name, or when I would receive phone calls, I just was like, ‘This is really happening,’” she remembers.
But, what Ericka found inside the institute was not what she expected. “It's not a sad place to be," she emphasizes. “You would think that with everything that's happening here, it would be really sad and really down. If the staff are having bad days, I've never seen it.”
From the front desk team to the chemo nurses to the volunteers offering blankets and snacks, the warmth was constant. “They started learning what snacks I like. ‘Are you ready for your Oreos? Are you ready for your Pepsi?’ It was kind and gave a sense of comfort.”
Even in hard moments, the team met her where she was. During an early meeting with radiation oncologist Dr. Rashed, Ericka was overwhelmed. Dr. Rashed noticed. "She said, 'I'm going to stop. You are overwhelmed right now. So, I'm not going to give you any more information right now,'" Ericka recalls. "I really appreciated that."

Three-Pronged Treatment Path: Radiation, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy

Ericka's treatment included radiation five days a week for six to eight weeks, alongside weekly chemotherapy every Thursday. Chemo days were long—five to six hours—so she came prepared with her laptop, books, food, and coffee.
The nurses walked her through every step. “They wouldn't just poke you and do things to you,” Ericka notes. “They would always let you know, ‘Now we're giving you this. Now we're doing this.’ It was reassuring.”
After chemo and radiation, she had two brachytherapy surgeries to deliver targeted radiation directly to the tumor. Ericka is now in immunotherapy, with treatments every six weeks through summer 2027.

The Support That Carried Her Through

Ericka did not go through this alone. Her family showed up for her in big ways. Her coworkers at both jobs—River Valley Special Recreation and Kankakee Public Library—rallied around her too. A meal train brought home-cooked meals and restaurant gift cards. Cards and texts poured in. Both employers told her not to worry about her job.
“Cancer will take you out of your comfort zone,” she offers. “You really realize how much you need other people. I could not have done it alone.”

A Milestone Worth Celebrating

When radiation ended, the team surprised her with a bell to ring; a tradition marking the milestone. She did not know about it ahead of time. The radiation team gave her a diploma. She tried to hold it together. She could not.
“It was just so beautiful how they all made me feel,” she shares. “They really, really care. You could not work in this type of environment and have a bad attitude or not like your job.”
To learn more about the Riverside Cancer Institute, visit riversidehealthcare.org.

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