Survivor Story: Deborah Rabbitts Shares Faith, Perseverance, and Hope

Deborah, a retired RN, full-time caregiver, and now a cholangiocarcinoma survivor, shares her remarkable journey in the hopes of encouraging others facing a similar diagnosis.

Q: How did your journey with cholangiocarcinoma begin?
In January 2024, I started experiencing extreme fatigue and chronic diarrhea. I had recently transitioned to a plant-based diet and thought the 25 pounds I lost were a result of that lifestyle change. My lab work looked completely normal, and I wasn’t in any pain. So initially, I didn’t think much of it.

Q: What ultimately led to your diagnosis?
The chronic diarrhea turned out to be due to pancreatic insufficiency, which was resolved with Creon. Thankfully, my primary care physician didn’t stop there. She ordered an abdominal CT scan just to be sure, and that’s when they found a mass on my liver. An MRI and biopsy confirmed it was cholangiocarcinoma. A PET scan showed no signs of metastasis.

Q: What treatment path did you follow?
I was referred to a fantastic oncologist in Sarasota, and I began chemotherapy and immunotherapy in March. Treatment went through September, with a brief pause in August due to a fractured hip — but I still completed it on schedule. We also worked closely with Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where I had a surgical consult.

Q: Was surgery an option from the start?
Not at first. Dr. Anaya at Moffitt felt I was too high-risk for surgery because of the tumor size (6.8 cm) and my recent hip fracture. So we pursued a Y-90 procedure in December 2024 to shrink the tumor. It worked! Follow-up scans showed a decrease in size.

Q: When were you able to have surgery?
On May 23, 2025, I had a liver resection. The caudate lobe and several lymph nodes were removed. The lymph nodes were negative, and most of the tumor was necrotic — dead tissue. It had shrunk to 4.7 cm.

Q: How are you doing now?
I’m doing well. I’ve continued immunotherapy as an adjunct to surgery, and my doctors are monitoring me with the CT DNA test. My first result came back negative. I’m incredibly grateful for that.

Q: What has helped you stay strong through this experience?
My faith in God and my “never give up” mindset. I’m also a retired nurse, which helped me understand what was happening. But more than anything, my children have been my rock. I’m also a full-time caregiver for my husband, who is living with Stage 4 Parkinson’s. It’s a lot — but I’m still going.