At 82, Carolyn Thomas likes to keep moving.

She and her husband recently celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary. They have two daughters, a close-knit family and a full calendar that includes other fun like camping trips and community events.

Even while navigating cancer care, Carolyn said she tries not to sit still for long.

“I like to go, go, go,” she said.

That determination has carried her through two rounds of cancer care with WellSpan. About four years ago, Carolyn underwent surgery and chemotherapy. More recently, after a routine visit and biopsy, she underwent surgery again in March, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy, where she got to proudly ring the bell – for the second time – marking the completion of chemotherapy and cancer treatment.

From top to bottom: Carolyn ringing the bell after her final chemo treatment in 2022 and now Carolyn ringing the bell for the second time this summer 2026.

Through it all, Carolyn said her experience with WellSpan has been positive, from her cancer care team to the outpatient locations she visits close to home. She often receives care at WellSpan locations in York and Hanover and said she appreciates being able to access care in places that are convenient and familiar.

But during her most recent cancer journey, an unexpected health scare added another layer of concern.

As part of her ongoing care, Carolyn had a CT scan at WellSpan Imaging - Hanover.  Soon after, her care team began trying to reach her and her husband. Something concerning had been found within an hour or so of her scan.

The scan showed a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung. For Carolyn, the call was frightening. But what happened next brought reassurance. She called her daughters and went to WellSpan York Hospital. As soon as she shared her name and sat for a moment, she was taken back immediately into a room for care.

“I cannot complain,” she said. “I just can’t say anything bad about them. They get 1,000% in my book.”

Behind the scenes, WellSpan’s use of Aidoc, an artificial intelligence technology that helps review imaging for certain critical findings, supported the care team in identifying the concern and flagging her case for immediate review. The technology is designed to flag potentially urgent findings on imaging, helping radiologists prioritize cases where every minute can matter.

"Cancer patients already have a tremendous amount on their minds,” said Dr. Eav Lim, Gynecologic oncologist at WellSpan Cancer Center in York. “Our goal is to provide the safest, most coordinated care possible. Technologies like Aidoc help us detect and prioritize certain critical findings so we can focus our attention where it is needed most. For Carolyn, that meant an unexpected blood clot was identified quickly during an already challenging cancer journey."

The quick turnaround gave Carolyn answers fast. By that evening, she had already had her results available in her MyWellSpan patient portal and her medicine to treat her condition in this case.

The experience has stayed with her, not just because of the technology, but because of how quickly her care team responded. In the middle of chemotherapy, appointments and uncertainty, the fast identification of the blood clot helped her and her care team determine next steps.

WellSpan’s use of innovative technology

When reviewing scans, our expert radiologists incorporate AI to help flag studies with suspected abnormal findings through the use of a tool called Aidoc. This type of innovative technology quickly signals to the radiologist that there is a suspected finding and flags the scan as a priority read. This service is available for all patients across numerous WellSpan facilities just like for Carolyn, helping catch abnormal findings as soon as possible – when every minute matters.

In fact, since implementing Aidoc use in 2023, imaging turnaround time for outpatient critical cases has gone from 25 hours to a little more than two hours, with more than 6,000 patients benefitting from earlier case prioritization across the 1.7 million scans analyzed to date.

Carolyn just happened to be one of them.

When scanning imaging findings, WellSpan’s use of Aidoc reviews more than 25 conditions across clinical service lines like cardiology, vascular surgery and neuroscience. WellSpan’s expanded portfolio can support findings for conditions like aortic aneurysms, brain aneurysms, strokes and more.

In Carolyn’s case, Aidoc helped raise her scan to the radiologist as it detected what could be a pulmonary embolism. By flagging that scan, a radiologist was able to quickly confirm the report and help ensure Carolyn received the most helpful and potentially life-saving feedback in a timely manner.

WellSpan’s strong partnership with Aidoc extends beyond adoption. WellSpan and Aidoc teams work collaboratively, advancing diagnostic innovation and helping lead a national effort to improve the speed, safety, and quality of patient diagnosis.

What’s next for Carolyn?

Now, with her sixth and final chemotherapy treatment complete, Carolyn is looking ahead. She is hopeful about feeling more like herself again, spending time with family and returning to the activities that bring her joy.

Her journey is a reminder of how compassionate care and advanced technology can work together, especially when patients are already facing complex health challenges. For Carolyn, WellSpan’s cancer care team helped guide her through treatment, while imaging technology helped identify an urgent issue when she needed answers quickly.  

And as she looks toward what comes next, Carolyn is doing so with the same determination that has carried her this far.

Carolyn said, “I think somebody likes me,” she said. “They want to keep me around for a while.”

To find care nearest you, visit www.WellSpan.org/GetCareNow.