Amie Goins was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Ductal Carcinoma in December 2017. As part of her treatment, Amie consulted with Dr. Vlad Zaha to develop a strategy for protecting her heart during and after her chemotherapy, and was the first patient to participate in the feasibility arm of Dr. Zaha’s study to evaluate the metabolic changes in the heart that occur with the use of anthracyclines during cancer treatment.

An avid runner prior to her diagnosis, Amie continued to participate in 5k races throughout her treatment, which included a lumpectomy, radiation, and a total of 10 months of chemotherapy in both IV and pill form. Amie went on to run 18 timed 5k races in 2018, all the while tracking her running times to assess the effects of the treatments on her cardiovascular fitness -- a feat that was chronicled in feature stories in “Dallas Morning News,” WFAA News 8, and in UTSW’s “Med” magazine. Amie would like to thank Dr. Marilyn Leitch, Dr. Dawn Klemow, Dr. Vlad Zaha, Dr. Prasanna Alluri, Dr. Sumeet Teotia, and all of the nursing and administrative staff at UTSW for their conscientious care and commitment to research.

Amie has a bachelor’s degree in music from Kansas State University and currently works as office manager for a commercial real estate company in Dallas. She and her husband, Chris, reside in Garland and have two adult sons. Today, Amie is cancer-free and currently runs at a 10:38 pace.