Vietnam Veteran reaches 100th cancer treatment at Dallas VA

Given 10 months to live, Gregory Renno chose to fight with cancer treatment

Imagine being told you have less than a year to live. Most people might brace for the worst. Gregory Renno, a Vietnam War Army Veteran, refused to give in. He kept coming back to the Dallas VA Medical Center (DVAMC) for treatment, determined to fight for more time with his family and to see every milestone in his daughter’s life.

A milestone treatment

In February, Renno arrived for his 100th cancer treatment. His cancer story began in 2018. He underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, fighting his disease with everything modern medicine could offer. But that same year, his cancer returned, more aggressive than before. Doctors told him he had just 10 months to live, a prognosis that threatened to leave his young daughter—then in middle school—without her father.

Dr. Sung-Hee Choi, hematology and oncology staff physician at the DVAMC and associate professor at UT Southwestern, led the team that cared for Renno. They had exhausted all conventional treatments, but neither Choi nor Renno was ready to give up. Together, they turned to something that represents hope for so many Veterans: a clinical trial.

“I was not ready to lose to cancer,” Renno said. “At the time, it was my only option. The trial had the potential to change my life, or even someone else’s down the line.”

Renno enrolled in a clinical trial at the DVAMC, closely followed by the research team and the dedicated nurses of the Hematology-Oncology Clinic, including registered nurse Casilda Valles. These nurses care for thousands of Veterans every year, combining their deep skills with compassion.

“The nurses here are knowledgeable and incredibly caring. I think Casilda gave me most of my treatments here,” Renno shared. “Not many people can say they lived eight more years after being given only 10 months. I’m grateful every day.”

A grateful journey

Valles remembers Renno well. “I started treating Renno in 2018. When I think about it, I’ve started 99 IVs and collected 392 blood samples from him.” For her, every cycle is a reminder that hope is real.

Like many Veterans with cancer, Renno has endured setbacks and uncertainty, but also unexpected gifts. “I didn’t think I would see my daughter graduate from high school. She’s now in college. I owe all of this to my cancer team at VA. I’m very blessed to still be here.”

To mark his milestone, a meaningful gathering was held at the hospital, filled with leadership, staff and others, who presented him with a custom shirt, making the moment even more intimate and special.

Clinical trials aren’t just about statistics. They’re about giving Veterans a fighting chance.

To learn more about cancer care and resources for Veterans, visit the VA Cancer Program.