Meet Marla
It was summer 2022. Marla Hutchinson was experiencing bladder issues and seeking answers. She scheduled appointments with her primary care provider and a urologist, and both suspected she might have a urinary tract infection.
But in August, things took a turn for the worse.
“We were camping and getting ready to go somewhere,” Marla recalls. “When I went to the bathroom, I saw a lot of blood.”
Marla quickly made an appointment with a urologic oncologist who discovered a tumor in Marla’s bladder. This led to a discussion about possibly removing the organ and giving Marla a urostomy that would divert urine from her kidneys into a collection bag. But the Vandergrift native was hoping to avoid that – and instead started trimodal therapy.
The first step in this approach was the removal of Marla’s tumor as part of a procedure known as a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (commonly shortened to TURBT).
After recovering from surgery, Marla underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatments — the second and third steps of trimodal therapy.
Radiation therapy is used to kill cancer cells, and it was successful in doing that for Marla's cancer. But Marla experienced a rare side effect. Her bladder became inflamed, creating an internal soft tissue injury called radiation cystitis.
So, Marla asked about her options, and her care team had an answer.
Discovering Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Marla was referred to UPMC Wound Healing Services at UPMC Passavant – one of several locations in the system offering hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). This specialized care delivers a greater-than-normal amount of oxygen under pressure to a person's body tissues to stimulate growth factors and stem cells, ultimately strengthening the body’s natural wound-healing process.
“I had a lot of questions,” Marla says. “But I scheduled a call with Jodi Boory, the nurse manager at the wound center, and we were on the phone for 20 to 30 minutes. She was so reassuring.”
Marla says compassionate care continued when she came to the wound center in Cranberry Township. She had a comforting consultation with Lauren Peltz, PA-C, and saw the clear acrylic chambers where patients lie down during HBOT sessions to get a better idea of how the process works.
In October 2024 – six months after Marla finished her final radiation treatment – she began her regularly scheduled HBOT sessions.
“Everyone was so nice and made me feel comfortable,” Marla explains. “The nurse was always present. We’d laugh and wave to each other while I was in the chamber. I knew I was never alone.”
During HBOT sessions, patients can listen to music or watch movies or TV.
“I chose to watch The Food Network,” Marla laughs.
The Road to Recovery
Marla completed her 40th and final HBOT session in January 2025. As she explains, it worked.
“Before I started, my pain level was a solid eight or worse," she says. "I thought I was going to die. But when I was done with my treatments, I told the team my pain level was down to a 1.”
In addition to being in less pain, Marla says she’s happy to feel more confident about doing everyday tasks that used to be a source of fear.
“I can go places without being so scared of having an accident due to my incontinence. I can clean my house and just get around better than before.”
And Marla credits the care she received at UPMC for helping her get this new lease on life.
“The wound care team at UPMC Passavant became like family because I was with them nearly every day for a few months,” Marla explains. “I wasn’t sure what to expect with HBOT at first, but now that I’ve done it, I would recommend this treatment to anyone with a wound that won’t heal.”
Marla’s treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.