Oklahoma Girl's Life Saved After A Trip To The Dentist: Find Out Why, Here

A trip to the dentist wasn't quite the usual thing for this 11-year-old girl. A dental hygienist noticed Journee Woodard of Oklahoma had abnormally yellow eyes.

Later that week, health officials discovered that the young girl had a grapefruit-sized tumor in her liver and pancreas.

A series of medical tests revealed the health problem, including blood tests and an MRI. The surgery involved removing "part of the pancreas, stomach, gall bladder and part of the intestine," according the website dedicated to her recovery.

"I didn't feel like there was anything I could do to help, which is one of the harder things," said Dr. Chandler, the dentist who initially noticed something wasn't right for Journee. "It's hard for me to feel like I'm a hero."

Surgeons performed a "Whipple procedure" that removed part of her pancreas, stomach, gall bladder and part of the intestine.

Statistics show that pancreatic cancers are oftentimes one of the most difficult to diagnose. For some dealing with this potentially fatal health problem, a Whipple procedure can dramatically extend life and even be a cure. 

As Journee is currently going through the recovery period, her mother has been updating friends and loved ones of her recovery, via social media.

At this time, the family is currently waiting for the test results of the tumor.

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