What happens in Vegas… benefits ovarian research at Duke

posted April 29th, 2010

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Carolyn Talbert was diagnosed with ovarian cancer right before Christmas last year. She began treatment immediately but will still hoping to go to Las Vegas with her husband, Danny, on a trip she had planned to celebrate his birthday in March. Problem was, Danny wasn’t all that sure it was a good idea

Not a problem, though, according to Kim Nolte, a PA who is part of the gynecologic cancer team at Duke. In fact, she wrote a prescription for the trip. “It said, ‘This patient is able to travel without any restrictions on gambling,’” said Nolte.

Talbert said she had to wear a mask, but that didn’t worry her – and she made a promise before she left, that if she happened to win the jackpot, she’d give it all back. “The people here have been so good and I said the good Lord above has been good to me. I just promised myself I would do it.”

She hit the slot machines all by herself one day. “I’d put in a hundred dollar bill and on the third ding, I’d won $1,000! My husband wasn’t even there. I asked someone at the casino to take my picture just to prove it.”

Talbert made good on her promise. She recently wrote a check for $1,000 and gave it to Andrew Berchuck, M.D., professor of medicine at Duke and Talbert’s physician. Berchuck promptly deposited in the Gail Parkins Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk Fund. 

Said Nolte, “ You know, a lot of people always say they’re going to give back, but she actually did. I think it’s fabulous. And that was the best prescription that I ever wrote!”