‘Pleasant, courteous, and caring:’ Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center patient recommends Dr. Qualls

When Judy Dunlap was diagnosed with cancer on September 24, 2024, she decided to go into her treatment with a positive attitude to alleviate stress, referring to her diagnosis as “Cece” to take away some of the power of the word cancer. With her fierce determination and the devoted care supplied by Dr. Kaitlin Qualls, and the staff at Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center, Dunlap was confident she would win the battle

“The first thing I said to myself was, ‘Cece, if you want a fight, you’ve got one here.’ I went into it with a positive attitude, and everybody saw it on my face. I never shed a tear. I said, ‘I’m going to beat this, and Cece will not ruin my life,’” Dunlap said.

After visiting her medical doctor, Dr. Angelique Brown; her oncologist, Dr. Geeta Kurra; and her surgeon, Dr. Sha-Ron Jackson-Johnson, Dunlap had a lumpectomy on October 24, exactly a month after her diagnosis. Following her lumpectomy, she met with a social worker, Dr. Qualls, and the radiation therapy team to discuss the radiation process so that Dunlap could head into the process with a sense of calm and confidence. Dunlap is thankful that she had such a wonderful team on her side for her daily radiation treatment.

“My whole experience was just unbelievable. Dr. Qualls and the radiation specialists were all pleasant, courteous, and caring. That was the most important thing to me,” Dunlap said. “I had to go there every day, and they were so kind every time. I’m so grateful to have had the team that I had – not only Dr. Qualls, but everyone at Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center. They were there for me, from the people who greeted me every day to the staff who managed my treatment. The team was amazing.”

With her support system, Dr. Qualls, the radiation therapy team, her children, her faith, and her sorority, Beta Phi Beta Sorority, Dunlap tackled her radiation therapy with a smile. In March 2025, Dunlap’s son, daughter, and daughter-in-law were able to join her as she rang the bell to commemorate the conclusion of her radiation treatment.

“I am a jovial person, so I kept them laughing, and they kept me laughing. The team’s bedside manner was great because they were kind people who cared for me. I can’t say anything negative about Methodist Hospitals; it was all positive. I was so impressed,” Dunlap said. “I sent the team flowers after ringing the bell. I don’t do that lightly, and I don’t do that for everybody, but they were so great that I had to send them something.”

After her radiation therapy, Dunlap had her first post-surgery mammogram in May. She received lymphedema therapy from June through early August. Dunlap is scheduled to see Dr. Qualls this month, and she looks forward to seeing Dr. Qualls and her team every time she visits.

“I would recommend Dr. Qualls in a heartbeat. She lets you tell her what is bothering you, and you know she cares because she is listening. She is genuine in what she does,” Dunlap said. “When I read up on her, I tend to read up on people. I saw that she was fresh out of Mayo Clinic. Knowing that she just came from Mayo Clinic was the icing on the cake for me. She is very caring and very thorough.”

To learn more about Methodist Hospitals Cancer Center, visit methodisthospitals.org.