News10NBC Update: Woman’s miraculous turnaround with experimental cancer drug comes to end

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — News10NBC has a sad update to share.

Deanna Dewberry first interviewed Pam Polashenski in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The 52-year old doctor was a force of nature and had always been the picture of health as a gifted athlete with a spirit for adventure.

She faced breast cancer with that same spirit, but last summer it appeared she could no longer keep the cancer at bay.

She was on oxygen and near death when her oncologist tried a hail mary: An experimental drug that initially had miraculous results.

"So I just remember on Monday… I started it on Thursday… a fog lifting from my head. we checked my oxygen levels and I was no longer needing the oxygen so I was able to come off that,” Polashenski said in October. “And I was walking."

Four weeks later she was even well enough to take her nephews to Seabreeze.

But her miraculous turnaround was only temporary.

Last Friday Polashenski died with her husband and daughters by her side and on Thursday, her friends and family said goodbye.

She asked that friends and family donate to the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester in her memory that can be done online or by phone at 585-473-8177.