Mrs. Diana Boudargham Tannoury… A Survivor’s Mission

Mrs. Diana Boudargham Tannoury’s initiative to establish a specialized women’s cancer institute at Hotel Dieu de France Hospital marks a significant step towards providing comprehensive healthcare for those affected by this disease.

Diana Boudargham Tannoury Foundation has achieved a significant milestone with the inauguration of its women’s cancer institute at Hotel Dieu de France. This world-class facility is poised to become a leading center for cancer care, offering innovative treatments, cutting-edge research, and a holistic approach to patient well-being.  As a survivor of ovarian cancer herself, Mrs. Tannoury recognized the suffering of these patients and decided to take proactive measures to support cancer patients in Lebanon.In this interview, “Hospitals” magazine will enlighten Mrs. Tannoury’s story and explain how she transformed her personal experience with the disease into a driving force in establishing an institute aimed at saving women’s lives.

What inspired you to establish a women’s cancer institute after your personal experience with the disease?

In December of 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 3C Ovarian Cancer that had started nine months earlier and appeared in an MRI, which did not show any abnormalities, as two normal simple adnexal cysts, one in each ovary.

I was blessed to be operated on at the Hotel Dieu de France (HDF) hospital during a seventeen-hour debulking surgery by Professor David Attallah, Head of Gynecologic Oncology and Breast Surgery Unit, Professor Riad Sarkis, Digestive and Endocrine Surgery and the rest of their colleagues, as well as followed up by Professor Fadi Nasr, Chief of the Oncology Department. An ovarian cyst is the first sign of Ovarian Cancer, and if it is detected early enough and followed up with the proper exams and medical protocol, a woman’s life can be saved. My case was detected early at the pre-cancerous stage but was not followed up by the oncologist gynecologist at a non-university hospital in Beirut where my cysts were first discovered, nine months later, pain in my pelvic area led me to do another MRI and to discover my advanced stage of cancer.

After the surgery, in recovery at Hotel Dieu, I knew that God had given me a mission. A pre-cancerous or even cancerous cyst does not have to lead to a life-threatening diagnosis, and I pledged to prevent as many women as possible from living through the ordeal of cancer. I created a Women’s Cancer Foundation in my name, with a Women’s Cancer Institute at Hotel Dieu De France, to raise awareness about Ovarian Cancer as well as breast cancer, and other types of gynecological cancers and to support cancer patients through this painful and life-transforming journey. 

While I was at HDF, I had a friend who was also there fighting her battle with ovarian cancer and who eventually succumbed to it. Her name is Nicole Zakhour. Her strength and faith inspired me, and I promised myself that if I made it out alive, I would fight for all those who had left us and for every family member who had lost a loved one to cancer to save as many lives as possible.

What were the most significant challenges you faced during your treatment journey, and how did this experience change your perspective on life?

I woke up after the debulking surgery at Zero Residue, which is lifesaving. The journey was long and challenging; halfway through my chemotherapy, my intestine ruptured, I was rushed into the operating room, and as I closed my eyes, I surrendered to God’s Will as well as to the hands of two skilled surgeons in digestive surgery, Professor. Roger Noun and Dr. Ghassan Chakhtoura. After this surgery, a stoma was placed on my intestine to protect it during the rest of my chemo sessions, and I spent a month in the ICU fighting infections. The stoma wound was painful, and I suffered for over a year while I was fragile at 40kgs, barely able to walk, still recovering from my debulking surgery and continuing my treatments. 

When one is so close to losing life, everything becomes a blessing, even pain. Pain became my friend, and it was a reminder to be grateful that I was still alive and capable of feeling it. When one is helpless and sick, one realizes the importance of family. The love my husband, Bernard, and my three boys, Georges, Jad, and Andrew, surrounded me with became my driving force to survive. The support I received from my sister-in-law Nathalie and my friends, who know who they are, as well as my parents and brothers carried me through. 

All through this journey, from the moment of diagnosis, I had received many signs from God, and when the doctors told me that it was a miracle I had survived the ruptured intestine, I smiled. This experience took my faith to a new level and confirmed what I had felt in my heart: I had a mission to continue.

Based on your personal experience, why is community awareness about cancer, especially women’s cancers, so important, particularly during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

By the time of diagnosis, 60 percent of ovarian cancer cases are at stage 3 and have a 5-year survival rate of 40 percent; this means cancerous cells have spread from the ovaries or fallopian tubes to nearby tissues, such as the abdominal cavity or lymph nodes. We need to reach these women at the first sign of a cyst, which an oncologist-gynecologist should closely monitor. Even after an MRI is clear, a cyst can be pre-cancerous or develop into cancer, and it should only be removed by a specialist in case it ruptures. A gynecologist should be aware of this and refer the patient to an oncologist gynecologist for follow-up, removal of cysts, or even the removal of the ovaries. 

Patients should be careful about whom they are being referred to because only a few capable specialists are left in Lebanon. Even though I had initially seen an oncologist-gynecologist at another hospital, he had failed to follow up on the cysts through the correct protocol, and what could have been a straightforward procedure nearly cost me my life. It is thus important during October, which is breast cancer month, to remember to follow up on mammography and breast and gynecological ultrasounds. Early cancer detection is life-saving. 

What are the most significant services for cancer patients, starting from diagnosis to treatment? Can you tell us more about the doctors and medical staff working at the institute and their qualifications? 

A whole support system has been put in place to follow patients in need from diagnosis through surgeries, adjuvant treatments, and medical and psychological assistance. We inaugurated the Women’s Cancer Institute on September 16^th. Our vision is to transform the landscape of Women’s Healthcare in Lebanon through awareness programs for pre-cancer and early cancer detection, prevention, surgical interventions, medical support and research, women’s empowerment, and high-quality care.

After my debulking surgery in December 2021, we started supporting Women’s Cancer patients at Hotel Dieu through a donation of the Rubina system with 4K resolution and fluorescence-guided surgery, which creates a clear view of details and helps detect early signs of endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancer as well as lymph nodes in case of involvement. This is a first step in early diagnosis following an MRI, but it also made me realize that although this machine is beneficial in early detection and operation for early-stage ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancers, many women cannot afford to benefit from it. With the support of CEO of HDF Mr. Nasib Nasr and the Hotel Dieu Management and doctors, we have been helping women with cancer for the past two years by funding surgeries and medical treatments.

In the gynecologic oncology and breast surgery unit department, two trained gynecologic oncologists are highly qualified to treat gynecologic and breast cancers. The Department performs all kinds of surgeries, starting from minimally invasive surgeries with sentinel lymph nodes for endometrial and cervical cancers. Using the 4K ICG technology, more than 95% of our uterine surgeries are done with minimally invasive roots. The department is a referral institute for vulvar cancers with all modalities of reconstruction and de-escalation with sentinel lymph nodes using the ICG or the technetium. As a European Society of Gynecological Oncology (ESGO) accredited center, the department is the first ESGO-accredited center in the Middle East region. Breast surgeries are performed using high technology and experience with the oncoplastic techniques and sentinel lymph nodes, along with supra radical surgeries in advanced cases when needed. 

Why did you choose this hospital based on the recently opened institute at Hotel Dieu de France Hospital? What sets it apart?

I selected Hotel Dieu de France due to the expertise of Dr. David Atallah, a renowned professor of obstetrics and gynecology and the chairman of the department, including the gynecologic oncology and breast surgery unit, where you can find a team of skilled professionals and state-of-the-art facilities, making it a leading research institution in the field. Dr. Atallah, who played a crucial role in my recovery, holds leadership positions in various medical organizations; he is president of the Lebanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a board member of the International Gynecological Society (IGS) as well as Secretary General of the Middle East and Mediterranean Association of Gynecologic Oncologist (Memago). HDF recently acquired a new MRI machine, a 1.5 Tesla Voyager from GE, and a new CT scan machine, an AQUILION from Canon. These advanced machines are a valuable asset to the radiology department at HDF, led by Dr. Kamal Hachem, Head of the Radiology Department. They will enable earlier detection and more accurate diagnoses, leading to improved patient outcomes. I chose HDF because of the emotional support that the doctors, nurses, and staff gave me. Patients are not just numbers; it is not a hospital that wants to profit at the cost of human life. Its humane environment sets it apart from some other institutions.

Our biggest challenge today is to provide women’s cancer patients with expensive drugs that are no longer available at the Ministry of Health due to the economic crisis and that can prolong their remission period and even save their lives. One of these drugs is Olaparib, which is a parp inhibitor and works on women who have a mutation in their ovarian cancer tumor or who have a genetic mutation (brca 1 or brca 2). Olaparib improves the 5-year survival rate of women with stage 3 ovarian cancer to 67 percent. I can afford to buy this drug that will keep me in remission until I am out of danger, but what about the others? I had cancer like many other women; today, in Lebanon, a high percentage of these women do not have access to early cancer diagnosis through MRIs, lifesaving surgeries, and medical treatments. 

This is how my mission began.

Professor Fadi Nasr
Professor Fadi Nasr, Head of the Oncology Department at HDF, dedicated his career to serving cancer patients and supporting those with limited resources. He recently passed away after a long battle with colon cancer. I will never forget how he used to enter my hospital room while he was himself undergoing chemotherapy treatments to encourage me with his strengthening words and his beautiful smile. He was a man full of faith, light and love. His legacy will live on through the Women’s Cancer Institute.