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New York resident Zulema Arroyo-Farley originally received treatment for soft-tissue sarcoma close to home after her diagnosis in February 2015. But for follow-up care every three months, she flies more than 1,400 miles away to Houston, where she can be seen by MD Anderson¡¯s team of experts.

¡°I have a very complex medical history, including 13 surgeries and four chronic autoimmune diseases,¡± Zulema says. ¡°So I wanted to make sure my doctors were really looking at all of my different health problems ¡ª such as Hashimoto¡¯s thyroiditis and lupus ¡ª when treating the sarcoma. I wanted to have my sarcoma oncologist looking at how my autoimmune diseases might affect my cancer and vice-versa.¡±

The search for multidisciplinary care

Zulema scheduled her first appointment here in April 2015, at the suggestion of a fellow sarcoma survivor.

She met first with , and peppered her with a load of questions. Because of the location of Zulema¡¯s sarcoma (in the anal muscle and left gluteal muscle), her local doctors hadn¡¯t been able to remove the entire tumor, and Zulema knew sarcomas tend to recur. So she wanted to understand all of her options.

¡°I probably overwhelmed her,¡± Zulema says. ¡°But I stayed for three weeks my first visit, so I really got to know her. We built a close relationship.¡±

The importance of thinking ahead

Zulema was particularly impressed with her doctors¡¯ foresightedness.

¡°They think holistically,¡± Zulema says. ¡°When I had surgery for anal lesions in November 2015, , my colorectal oncologist, told me he wouldn¡¯t be able to give me total relief, because if he did, it could compromise the larger sarcoma resection I might face in the future. Knowing that gave me some peace of mind, and allowed me to continue living my lifestyle without compromising it.¡±

Making a difference

During her time in Houston, Zulema has also gotten to know , a fellow Puerto Rican who is researching sarcoma.

¡°I really believe she¡¯s doing God¡¯s work,¡± Zulema says. ¡°She is one of those unsung heroes that nobody knows about. But you need money in order to run a lab properly, and she shouldn¡¯t be spending her time seeking grants. So I began thinking about how I could help her. It became a challenge for me.¡±

Zulema and her husband created a non-profit foundation to support her new friends at MD Anderson and the work they were doing. About 90 people attended the organization¡¯s first event.

¡°My husband and I are art collectors, and we challenged each of the artists we work with to donate a piece,¡± Zulema says. ¡°We ended up getting 29 and running out of space.¡± The event also raised almost $50,000, half of which went to support Dr. Torres¡¯ sarcoma research.

Finding a second home

Today, Zulema and her husband continue to raise awareness about sarcoma and funds to search for a cure. In the meantime, she finds comfort ¡ª and multidisciplinary care ¡ª at MD Anderson.

¡°MD Anderson and the city of Houston are like a second home,¡± Zulema says. ¡°I travel around the world a lot, but here, I have all of these people who truly care for me. I was in Switzerland in February and wasn¡¯t feeling well, so I texted Dr. Cormier. She responded right away. It doesn¡¯t matter what time of day it is, she is there for me. From the person who takes the appointment to the physician assistants, they all want to help.¡±