In this “Dear David” installment, CBS News contributor David Begnaud highlights childhood cancer survivors Ellie Koerner and Dawson Nailor reuniting in medical school and an Arkansas hairstylist who spotted skin cancer on a client during a routine appointment.
Childhood cancer survivors reunite 17 years later in medical school
Two first-year medical students at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine discovered an extraordinary connection during orientation: they had once battled the same cancer together as 4-year-olds.
Ellie Koerner and Dawson Nailor were both diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2007 and were treated at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The two had not seen each other since their treatments ended 17 years ago.
Their reunion came during a social event at orientation, when Nailor felt he recognized his new classmate.
“I kept looking at her and I was like ‘I know this girl from somewhere,'” Nailor said.
When he approached Koerner, the moment quickly became unforgettable.
Koerner recalled that Nailor tapped her on the shoulder during the event and introduced himself. As they began talking, she realized he was asking about a shared past — their time as leukemia patients.
“He said, ‘We were treated together.’ And I was just like, speechless,” Koerner said.
The two immediately snapped a photo and sent it to their mothers, who remembered each other from the days their children underwent treatment.
Koerner and Nailor had grown up only 10 minutes apart in South New Jersey but never crossed paths after their recoveries.
“We know all the same doctors. We were treated at the exact same outpatient facility. That’s how he remembered me,” Koerner said.
Koerner’s cancer went into remission in 2008, allowing her to return to competitive gymnastics. She later captained her high school lacrosse and tennis teams.
Nailor’s treatment lasted longer before he underwent chemotherapy for two and a half years and went into remission. He was “cancer-free on October 1st, 2010,” he said. He returned to baseball after his recovery.
Even as children, both worked to support cancer patients and their families through fundraising efforts.
Now, the pair stood side by side as they received their white coats — a rite of passage into the medical profession that once saved their lives.
“Seventy-five percent of the reason I want to be a doctor is because I want to be the kind of doctor that treated me,” Koerner said.
“I feel like it’s kind of been a lifelong calling in a sense to myself, you know, born out of struggle and shaped by my experiences,” Nailor said.
“And we’ve gone our separate ways in life. And now life has brought us back to going to medical school and wanting to be doctors,” Koerner added.
Hairstylist catches skin cancer on client’s scalp, saves her life
A routine hair appointment in December turned into a life-changing moment when a hairstylist noticed something unusual on her client’s scalp.
Cathy Burds was at Hoyt’s Salon in Morrilton, Arkansas, with her service dogs, Sully and Bogart, when her cousin and stylist, Elizabeth Hoyt, spotted a concerning mark.
“It’s not raised like a wart… this is something altogether different,” Hoyt said.
Burds, a bladder cancer survivor, had already had the spot treated twice by her family practitioner, who froze it off each time. But when the mark returned, Hoyt pushed for more action.
“Girl, you better listen to me, do what I said. Go to a dermatologist!” Hoyt told her client.
A dermatologist later confirmed Hoyt’s suspicions: the spot was skin cancer.
Hoyt said her close contact with clients gives her a unique perspective to notice health changes.
“You don’t see your doctor but once a year. She’s here about every three months. That’s enough time where I could’ve seen a difference, and I did,” Hoyt said.
Burds later wrote about her experience, praising the cousin who spotted what doctors had missed.
“She is one in a million, in my opinion. I am lucky she does her job. She saves lives,” Burds said.
After surgery in March, the cancer was successfully removed. Burds said what Elizabeth gave her will last forever.
For Hoyt, watching out for her clients’ health is simply part of the work.
“We take care of each other but this is part of our job. It should be. I hope it is,” Hoyt said.
102-year-old throws ceremonial first pitch at Cubs game
A chance meeting at a Chicago airport earlier this year has catapulted a 102-year-old woman to viral fame.
Beatrice Steiber told “CBS Mornings” in June that the response was overwhelming, and it didn’t just stop at fan connections from all over the country.
The Chicago Cubs called Steiber and invited her to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field.
It just proves that gratitude never gets old.
David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive “CBS Mornings” series, “Beg-Knows America.” Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com
