Cancer survivor is an individual with cancer of any type, current or past, who is still living.Many cancer survivors describe the process of living with and beating cancer as a life-changing experience. It is not uncommon for this experience to bring about a personal epiphany, which the person uses as motivation to meet goals of great personal importance, such as climbing a mountain or reconciling with an estranged family member.

Famous cancer survivors:

Lance Armstrong

In 1996 Lance found that he had testicular cancer. Since early warning signs were ignored, by the time he was diagnosed the cancer had spread throughout his stomach, lungs and brain. If testicular cancer is discovered early, a man is usually given a 70% chance of survival.
Because, Armstrong says he ignored warning signals, his chances of survival dropped as low as 40%. He had chemotherapy and surgery followed by a physical treatment program. With the help of his competitive spirit and support system he was declared cancer free.

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue, 37, was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer in May 2005.
Kylie went through eight months of surgeries and chemotherapy but regained her strength and won over the disease with her optimistic outlook.
In addition to the conventional medical treatments for breast cancer, Minogue used a variety of alternative therapies, including visualization practices, nutrition, massage and Reiki.

Sheryl Crow

Singer Sheryl Crow had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006. She underwent a minimally invasive surgery and had radiation treatments as a precaution.
Crow is no stranger to cancer, especially with her previous relationship with cancer survivor/cyclist Lance Armstrong. She also participated in the ‘Rock Against Breast Cancer’ concert in 2000.

Christina Applegate

Christina Applegate underwent treatment for breast cancer in 2008. The disease was caught early and the actress recovered fully. However, the ‘Samantha Who?’ star said she had a double mastectomy and underwent reconstructive surgery over the next eight months.
The Emmy winner's cancer was detected through an MRI ordered by a doctor and was not life-threatening.

Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was diagnosed with liver cancer in October 2003 during a routine scan. While a biopsy revealed that the cancer was a rare but treatable form, Jobs opted to try and treat the cancer with a special diet. Surgery is very effective for this type of cancer and most patients live 10 years or more after treatment. Jobs tried treating the cancer with the special diet for nine months until follow-up scans showed the tumor was growing. He recently started work again after a liver transplant.

Robert De Niro

Two-time Oscar-winner Robert De Niro had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2003. The 60-year-old actor was confident of beating the disease as it was discovered early.
In the course of his 40-year career in movies, Robert has become one of the most revered character actors of all time.
De Niro underwent prostate surgery in December 2003 at the Sloan-Kettering Memorial Hospital.

Nelson Mandela

Former South African president Nelson Mandela was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
A spokeswoman had revealed shortly after that the tumour was microscopic and should not reduce Mr Mandela's life expectancy. Initially no surgery was contemplated for the 83-year-old elder statesman and he received a seven-week course of radiotherapy.
The Nobel peace prize winner was probably the world's best known political prisoner, spending 27 years in jail. In 1985, while in prison, Mr Mandela was hospitalised for prostate surgery and had some tumours removed. They proved to be benign. He then returned to jail, where he remained until his release in February 1990.

Colin L. Powell

US Secretary of State Colin L. Powell underwent surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland in 2003.
The cancer was localized, the surgery was without complication, and Powell was in recovery soon. Powell chose to be secretive about the disease and keep it away from the press in contrast with other famous personalities who chose to use their illness as an opportunity to spread awareness.

Olivia Newton John

Singer/actress Olivia Newton John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. She compared her battle with the disease to climbing the Great Wall of China.
The Grease star has become a health advocate since fighting off the disease following her 1992 diagnosis. And Newton-John - who led an inspirational three-week walk along the Great Wall of China in April, 2008 - insists her efforts have awakened a fighting spirit in herself.

Cancer Survivors~Lung Cancer Survivor Stories

Franklin Whatley-Thirty-three years being married was not enough, was it?" That was the comment I made to my wife as the doctor left the examination room after telling me that I had lung cancer in my left lung, that it was not operable, and that my life expectancy was probably in the neighborhood of six months.

The time was March, 1993 and the place, Albuquerque, N.M. My oldest son Jim, his wife Kari, and their 22-month-old son, along with my wife Nellie, had accompanied me to Albuquerque from Gallup, N.M. where Nellie and I were both teachers at Gallup High School. We were enjoying our teaching jobs and had no idea that the horrible "BIG C" was playing havoc in my body. Jim and his family had stopped in Gallup on their way from Ft. Lewis, Washington to Ft. Benning, Georgia.

The doctor scheduled a bronchoscopy for the following morning. Our daughter and other son arrived in Albuquerque just minutes before I went in for the test on Tuesday. It confirmed the previous day’s diagnosis. My family sprang into action, rented a truck, and we were packed up and on our way back to Tulsa by Thursday. That was a trip to remember, from snow and ice to a temperamental rental truck that did not run unless it wanted to. Including the rental truck driven by Jim, we had five vehicles in that caravan and we all communicated by CB radios. We found a channel that had no one else on it and we tried to keep up our sagging spirits with jokes, songs and games all the way across New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

We arrived in Tulsa where our family doctor had made an appointment with a cardiovascular surgeon and a pulmonologist. The surgeon felt confident he could operate and take the lung, thus removing the cancer. Surgery revealed a ten centimeter primary tumor in the left lower lobe which was a squamous cell carcinoma. One hilar lymph node and two parabronchial lymph nodes were positive for metastatic disease. The surgeon reported that the tumor was attached to the heart sac and he peeled it from the sac like peeling an orange. I came through the surgery with no complications and by mid afternoon I was sitting up in ICU drinking a cup of coffee. And did it taste good.

Because of the positive lymph nodes the doctors agreed that I should have chemotherapy and radiation. We talked to the team of doctors at the hospital and they answered our questions but not to our satisfaction. I would add here that our daughter, La Nell is a nurse and she had coached us on the important questions to ask such as, "Is the chemotherapy administered through a port?" and "How is the body not being radiated protected?" and "What diet should be followed and what supplements should be taken?" There would be no port and there would be little protection from the radiation for the body. I could eat anything I wanted and supplements and vitamins were not needed.

This is where Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center (Southwestern) entered the picture. As I said, La Nell was a nurse and acquainted with CTCA. She made and appointment for me to meet some of CTCA's doctors. When I left the conference with the doctors at Soutwestern I had the reassurance that my body would be protected from radiation, a port would be installed prior to chemotherapy and I went home with diets and a sack full of supplements.

The following week, I began my radiation with Dr. Flynn. I was followed closely with examinations weekly and blood work each Monday morning. I finished six weeks of radiation. Minor tiredness was the only side effect I experienced. I was given a lotion to administer to the radiated spots just in case the skin was burned, but of course, it was not.

After completion of radiation, the port was inserted and I began my chemotherapy. To my great surprise, I gained 35 pounds, the most I had ever weighed, while receiving chemotherapy. I did not suffer nausea because medication was administered along with the chemo to prevent it. After the first dose of chemo, which was a giant one, I did have to have a platelet transfusion and had to stay in the hospital until my platelet count had risen. During the whole eight months of chemo, that was the only bad side effect I encountered other than suffering some loss of hair. I did not let the loss of hair affect me negatively. Nellie brought clippers to the hospital and we had a party while she shaved my head so I would quit getting hair in my mouth when I turned over in the bed. Then I had a friend paint me a cap that read, "CHEMO HEAD, NOT A SKIN HEAD." That brought comments, I might add.

If one has to suffer through cancer, then Cancer Treatment Centers of America is the place to be. Not only were the doctors great but the nursing staff was superb. The housekeeping staff could not do enough for my family and me while I was in the hospital and the dietary staff went out of their way to see that I had what I wanted to eat. Today when I return to Southwestern, I am treated as family and not just a mere patient.

At the first meeting with the doctors at CTCA, the five-year survivor tree planting ceremony was explained to me. My reply to that was, "Get my tree ready!" On May 7, 1999, I planted that tree and I remain cancer free thanks to God, the doctors and all the staff at CTCA.

Breast Cancer Survivors

I want to let you know, once again, how grateful I am that your organization exists. In January 1999, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern). I actually saw an advertisement for your center several months before I was diagnosed and said to myself, "If I ever get cancer I will go there," never suspecting that I would need your services so soon. Three months later, I arrived at your doorstep.

I feel that God lead me to CTCA. As a former medical doctor in Australia and now a minister, I was so relieved to find a center that offered the best of medical care, while paying attention to the whole person. As part of my medical practice years ago, I looked after patients with cancer. I know the grueling side effects and inconsiderate care that can often be found within cancer hospitals. In fact, I used to think that I would never undergo chemotherapy. I changed my mind when I saw the way that you administer chemotherapy in your hospitals.

In addition, I was able to integrate and apply all that I had learned about complementary and spiritual medicine in recent years. I used the vitamins, naturopathy, the nutrition program and the mind-body programs which you offer as support for my treatment and integrated these with other alternative therapies which I used. I also availed myself of every program that you offer: mind-body medicine, physical therapy, massage therapy, spiritual counseling, and image enhancement. They all were a tremendous assistance to gaining and keeping a sense of well-being in all areas of my life. My friends, family and coworkers were surprised and delighted that I looked so well while undergoing cancer treatment.

I want to thank everyone who looked after me. Wherever I went at Midwestern, I always knew that I was cared for and was not just a name on a chart. Truly, your people are your greatest asset and I am so grateful to them because so many thoughtful and kind things happened to me while I was there. I know that your atmosphere of love and caring helps to heal.

By the grace of God, I will be seeing you for years to come for follow up. Please share this letter with everyone—doctors, nurses, therapists, technicians, pharmacy, food services, volunteers, medical records, patient care coordinators, security, drivers. Everyone whom I contacted looked like embodied angels to me.

July 21, 2008

Cancer Survivors ~ Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Stories

“You have two months to live. Go home and get your things in order.” Those were the words I heard in July 2001. Just days before, I had walked 18 holes in a golf tournament and that evening I thought I might have food poisoning. After a few days, I still didn’t feel any better. A friend told me that my eyes looked yellow, so I went to the doctor. I soon heard the word “CANCER”—not just cancer—but stage IV pancreatic cancer with metastasis to my liver. My first thought was, “OK, let’s get it fixed.” But my doctors replied, “You don’t understand, it is inoperable and incurable.” That’s when I was told I had just two months to live.

To relieve my pain and jaundice, a tube was inserted into my side to drain backed-up bile. They put a leg bag on me and said I would live with that for the rest of my life. The doctor told me to go home and get my affairs in order.

My family and I decided that I needed a second opinion. My sister Pam and my caregiver Jana were busy searching the Internet and making phone calls, trying to find some place that would offer hope. That’s when my younger sister Beth called and told me that her in-laws had a friend who had been treated for pancreatic cancer at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) and that they had saved his life. Pam got on the phone right away and called CTCA’s 800-number and talked to an Oncology Information Specialist. They seemed to know exactly what we were going through, were very informative and answered all of our questions. I was scheduled for an appointment within the week. I needed to get help as soon as possible as I was losing weight, could not eat and I was in terrible pain. Not knowing I was full of infection from the insertion of the biliary tube, I was able to get some pain medication. Pam and Jana put me in a wheelchair and accompanied me on a plane to the CTCA in Zion, Illinois. The first thing I remember was entering the lobby of CTCA and seeing the tree of survivors. I said I’m going to get my name on that tree!

CTCA began treating me right away for my infection, got my pain under control and confirmed the diagnosis. I could not believe how fast they were able to do all the tests. They did more in one day at CTCA than my hospital back home did in a week. When they scheduled me for an X-ray at 10 a.m., I had my X-ray at 10 a.m. I thought, WOW, these people know what they are doing.

After three days of tests, I asked Dr. Mellijor how long I had to live. He said he could not give me my “expiration date” …that date was “in greater hands than his.” It was at that moment that I realized someone had offered me HOPE! If I was willing to fight, they would fight with me.

The doctors then explained a very aggressive treatment plan, which began immediately and consisted of five days of FUDR leucovorin with one day of intra-arterial mitomycin platinum. I spent 26 days in the hospital fighting an infection in my body, along with a collapsed lung. During my stay in the hospital, I felt like I was surrounded by friends and people who really cared and who gave me hope. Everyone was so pleasant, from the person who cleaned my room to all the nurses, doctors, kitchen staff—everyone.

Each morning at 10, the group of CTCA healthcare professionals would come into my room to see me. By doing this, they could all hear at the same time how I felt and could answer any questions I had for them. Also, as soon as I arrived at CTCA, they started me on a regimen of vitamins that I continue to take to this day. I don’t know if it was the vitamins or my prayers, but I never lost the hair on my head even with all the chemotherapy. Each time they did tests, it showed that the tumors had shrunk.

After five months, my platelets were too low to continue with the original treatment, so we went to plan B. I then started on a regimen of oral chemo, and within months, the tumor could not be seen at all on the scans. I have been off chemo since November 2002.

At present, I take Prilosec once a day and the vitamins that were recommended to me by Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). I enjoy spending my time working full time, riding my horses, camping, golfing, traveling, and being with my friends and family. Through the excellent care that I received at CTCA and the constant love, support and prayers from my family and friends, I have stayed positive and set goals for myself. I have talked to numerous patients and many of them say, “I wish I would have found CTCA right away.”

So many hospitals treat you like a number, but at CTCA they treat you like family. I was very fortunate to have found CTCA so soon after my diagnosis. I, like most people, wanted to be treated close to home, but I truly believe if I had, I would not be here to share my story. I continue to count my blessings every day and have recently taken on the opportunity of becoming South Dakota’s Team Hope Leader for an organization called the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. I hope others that have been diagnosed with this disease and are not satisfied with what they have been told will call Cancer Treatment Centers of America. Remember there is always hope and as the song goes by Lee Ann Womack, “you have a choice to sit it out or dance”...“I Hope You Dance.”

April 28, 2008

Colon Cancer Survivors

Linda Fairchild's father had died from colon cancer a month before she herself was diagnosed with the disease in 1995. Linda followed the advice of her doctors and had surgery and chemotherapy. The first round of chemotherapy never made her lose her hair or have any severe side effects, although she did have some nausea.

About three years later, Linda had blood tests which came back abnormal, signaling the return of the colon cancer. She was given the option of having colostomy surgery, but refused it. She had another course of chemotherapy, which went much like the first course had.

In the summer of 2001, a tumor was found in Linda’s bladder. She had the colostomy surgery this time, with more chemotherapy. Linda also had radiation therapy, since the doctors couldn't remove the tumor in her bladder.

Three months after finishing these treatments, on Christmas Eve of 2001, Linda was told that the cancer had spread to her liver.

Linda said, "I started to receive mega-doses of chemotherapy. With this, I lost my hair, was very weak, disoriented and I couldn't eat, so I was severely malnourished. I diminished to 89 pounds, and many of my friends saw me in a losing battle." She also had severe diarrhea that her doctor claimed was from the chemotherapy.

Linda's friend Susan saw an advertisement for Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) and sent for a brochure. The nearest center, CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center (Midwestern) in Zion, Illinois, was about three hours away. At first, Linda was reluctant to try anything new.

"I was too caught up in my illness at the time to really see how bad things were," Linda said. "Susan encouraged me to go to CTCA to see what they could offer me."

"I finally agreed to go to CTCA. When I told my oncologist this, he was first against it. But then, he said I should go because he couldn't do anything more for me. He never led me to believe this before."

"I was now handed a note saying he believed I would never work again and I had a limited life span. This came down like a rock on my head."

"I was so grateful at this point to have set up my appointment at CTCA, but I was scared," Linda said.

Linda was admitted to CTCA in April 2002, fed intravenously and treated for a parasitic infection that was the real cause of her diarrhea. She was also given fractionated doses of chemotherapy (four different drugs) over five days, in an intra-arterial procedure that delivered chemotherapy directly to the liver.

"After the five days of treatment, I was a little nauseated, tired and out of sorts, but I had a better quality of life for the next three weeks between treatments." Her weight was 100 pounds (up from 89 pounds) by the end of the three weeks.

By the end of her second series of treatments, the tumor was no longer visible on scans and her blood tests were near normal. She continued to receive nutrition intravenously for the next three months, until her weight returned to normal.

"I was determined to beat cancer. I also took comfort in speaking with the ministry at Midwestern. Today I still take various vitamins that I get through CTCA, do a lot of walking, keep an optimistic attitude, and appreciate the gift of life everyday."

Linda returned to work in November 2002. Her friend Susan says that Linda "looks great!" They both volunteer with CTCA, helping encourage other people with cancer.

"The local doctor who did my surgeries was amazed after seeing me a year later," Linda said. "He could not believe how healthy I was."

Linda's advice for us? "You can't be afraid to live with a serious illness. If you do, then dying becomes easy. Living is so much harder, but if you take a chance on fighting to live and believe in yourself, then the possibilities are endless."

Survivors of liver cancer stories

Fay Polson

Toward the end of 1996, I was looking forward to retirement after working for 22 years. I had been to the doctor several times about the pressure I felt in my abdomen. Then a raised place came up over my liver, and the doctor told me I needed a CT scan. The scan revealed a large tumor. He wanted to do a biopsy and I agreed to have one the next day. When they put the mirror in the incision they found that the tumor had grown onto my liver and had ruptured it. After telling me I only had a few months to live, unless we got this liver cancer under control, they sent me with my files across the street to a local hospital.

After looking at my scan, the doctor sat down and had a short conversation with us. My husband, Bob, and daughter, Sheryl, were with me. The doctor said he thought we could do direct chemo to the liver and try to shrink the tumor. But he said I only had a 50/50 chance. I was scared and didn’t know what to do. Because of his heart, our daughter’s husband had gone to Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) to use the radiation pellet implant to treat his prostate cancer. They were so pleased with CTCA and the service they received, Sheryl said we should go out to the center for a second opinion. The call was made and we got in almost immediately. By this time, my abdomen was so large I had to wear a maternity top.

From the day I walked into Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tulsa, I knew that it was where I wanted to be. Everyone was so very friendly and warm. And, we did not have to sit in the waiting room for hours!

I saw Dr. Hans Nevinny. I cannot tell you how pleased we were with him. He hugged me and he hugged my husband and talked with us forever explaining what kind of treatment I would have. Then I saw Dr. Jimmie Crow, who was one of the surgeons at that time. He told us he wanted to save just one-fourth of the liver since the liver regenerates itself. If you could only know what a blessing I had just received! Until this point, I thought I was going to be dying in about three months, leaving my family, small grandchildren and all my wonderful friends. Words cannot explain the feeling. I had just been granted some more years.

On February 14, 1997, I had my first surgery. The tumor weighed 3 ½ pounds. Since my husband had wanted to see the tumor, Dr. Crow decided to carry it out in a bucket into the waiting room. After Bob looked at it, all the rest of the family wanted to see it too. I had a long six weeks trying to recover from this first surgery, as the tumor had zapped all of my minerals, from my body, and the nutritionist said I was severely malnourished. She gave me several things that I had to take every day, besides drinking Ensure. And I saw her every time I came in to see the doctor. She would always look at my charts and see how much I had improved. And if I needed other things, I would take them too. Also after my surgery, someone who came to see me at home must have had a stomach virus because I became very ill and had to be hospitalized again to take care of this. I had a long time recovering from this surgery.

In May of 1997, I took my first chemo treatment. My body was in good shape by then and I did not have any trouble with the chemo. I had radiation treatments along with the chemotherapy. It was not a chore for me to come out every day for chemo and radiation. There were so many wonderful people to talk and visit with, especially two men who were so much fun that everyone wanted to be in the room they were in. We did a lot of laughing every day.

In exactly one year, another tumor appeared in my liver. Once again there was surgery and all went well again. I only had to stay a week this time. And one of the wonderful things about CTCA is that they let Bob stay with me, every night, even in ICU. The people are just so wonderful at CTCA.

In the latter part of 2000, I had yet another tumor in my liver. This time they did four different ablations to try to destroy it, followed by two alcohol injections and two heat treatments. When the CT scans showed I still had the tumor, I once again faced surgery. Dr. Crow said that there were two tumors, one on top of the other. The injection treatments had destroyed the top tumor, but not the bottom one. The surgery was successful and it was my last one. My follow-up visits with my oncologist have all been with good results.

I just cannot explain how well I did with the wonderful help of the doctors and staff at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). Along the way, Bob and I have met many people and tried to visit them at CTCA as often as we could. They are always so glad to see a person that has a successful cancer story. What a marvelous blessing we have received! If I had not come to CTCA, I know I would not be alive today. Thanks to their outstanding care, I am cancer free.

Survivors by Lung Cancer

John Kleinfeldt has reason to celebrate. Anyone who follows the statistics on cancer survival would have given up on him a long time ago. In fact, some did. But Kleinfeldt is alive today. Alive and well.

Kleinfeldt’s journey with cancer began with a regular check up with his doctor. He was 58 years old. Blood tests revealed he was anemic. When medication did not help and Kleinfeldt began losing weight, his medical doctor referred him to a gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist referred him to a rheumatologist since he had arthritis in his knees. During his examination the rheumatologist noticed clubbing in Kleinfeldt’s hands and took an X-ray of his knees. The specialist had a suspicion it was lung cancer but could not be certain without performing a chest X-ray.

A referral to a radiologist and a chest X-ray later, Kleinfeldt and his wife, Eileen, heard that John has a mass in the upper left lobe of his lung. It was large, measuring 4.2 centimeters by 3.3 centimeters.

The next referral was to an oncologist, who recommended chemotherapy. The Kleinfeldts opted for a second opinion, which returned an opinion for a surgical intervention. After a third opinion concurred with the second, Kleinfeldt underwent lung cancer surgery in New York City in August of 1997 to remove the tumor and part of his lung.

Four months after his surgery, in December, Kleinfeldt began experiencing dizzy spells. An MRI revealed the cancer had metastasized to his brain, detecting three lesions and a tremendous amount of brain swelling. He was admitted to the hospital immediately.

Kleinfeldt underwent 15 radiation treatments at a treatment center in Long Island. Given the poor prognosis during those radiation treatments, Eileen began researching other treatment centers which might give Kleinfeldt more options and therefore a better chance at longer survival. She found a hospital in Zion, Illinois that appeared to offer treatments in addition to the standard protocols and told John, “this is where we are going.”

John told his doctor they had found Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) and requested his opinion of their treatment facilities. The doctor was reluctant to give an answer because he had never heard of CTCA. That inclined John not to seek treatment at CTCA until his doctor supplied another opinion.

“John, listen to Eileen and go to CTCA. See what they have to say. You have nothing to lose. I can’t do anything more for you,” he said. The Kleinfeldts did get on a plane to Chicago, something Eileen is thankful for to this day.

“That was the best decision we ever made and it has forever changed our lives,” Eileen said.

Lymphoma Survivors

My name is Randy Merriken and I've been a victor over non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for many years. My experience with Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center (Southwestern) began in July of 1996, when I saw my doctor (Dr. Brunk) for the first time. My struggle against cancer began several years earlier, though.

When I first noticed the "knot" in my abdomen in the summer of 1993, I wondered if there might be something serious going on, but I didn't see a doctor about it. I didn't want to be a "hypochondriac". I work in a hospital laboratory and since I'm around disease all the time I try not to worry about every bump or bruise I might see. Finally, about a year and a half after I first noticed the knot, I went to see him for a minor thing and then I used the "Oh, by the way, while I'm here·" line. He checked me out and sent me to a surgeon who ordered a CT of my abdomen to diagnose me. Three days after my CT I had a biopsy to confirm the lymphoma diagnosis.

In 1995, I went through a 5 month course of traditional chemotherapy in my hometown of Charleston, WV. My CT's looked good, but my doctors told me that this type of cancer is "easily controlled, but rarely cured". The average life expectancy for the advanced lymphoma, which I was fighting, was 3-5 years. The standard protocol is to treat it, then "watch and wait" until you have to treat it again. This involves stronger and stronger drugs until nothing else is available. (I didn't like the sound of that!)

A little over a year after I finished my chemotherapy I felt like the tumor was growing again and my CT scan confirmed my suspicions. My oncologist told me that if he were the patient he wouldn't necessarily get treatment again just yet. I wanted to be more aggressive than that so I went looking for a second opinion. I was given some information about the importance of nutrition at Southwestern and it sounded encouraging, so I called the toll free number. The folks at CTCA did all the legwork for me. They called my insurance company, then called me back and explained the plan. I made an appointment to see my doctor for an evaluation in July of 1996.

God is the great orchestrator of my healing, and I began asking Him to give my doctor wisdom for my treatment, even before my first appointment. My prayers (and those hundreds of others) were answered wonderfully! At CTCA, I found a host of caring people. The nutrition aspect of my treatment in incomparable, including an improved diet and an immune-stimulating supplement package. The Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) or "Mind Body Connections" program, is an important part of my care. There are encouraging people everywhere - housekeeping, pastoral care, patient relations, guest room services, and on and on!

My doctor used a more aggressive treatment plan for me which involves a maintenance dose of oral medication to keep the lymphoma under control. He's had patients like me on this program for 10 years. I expect to keep getting good reports. I don't know what the future holds, but my Father does and that's all I need to know! God is good and I'm glad CTCA was part of His plan for me.

Prostate Cancer Survivors

My urologist called me at 10 p.m. on a November evening in 1997 to inform me that the biopsy of my prostate showed one area of cancer. He told me what my options were. I could have it removed, have radiation therapy or do nothing. He recommended that I have my prostate removed within two weeks. A second opinion confirmed the recommendation.

I came across a description of the "permanent seed treatment" in my research. At the same time, my wife saw an ad on TV describing the prostate cancer treatment given at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Southwestern Regional Medical Center (Southwestern). She called the 800-number and spoke with Sharon, who gave her some basic information and also "overnighted" some information to us. After reading the material, I called CTCA to set up an appointment for a consultation. Several days later my wife and I were at Southwestern, talking with Dr. Flynn, who explained what the treatment consisted of. I had no doubt that the HDR brachytherapy treatment was the course I was going to take.

At the time of diagnosis, my PSA was 8, my Gleason was 6, and my age was 60. I had the brachytherapy treatment in March and April of 1998. I had no negative reactions from the treatment. I went right to work when I got home. I missed no days of work following the treatment.

We have never met a group of people nicer or more caring and professional than those at CTCA. We thank God every day for helping us find them. I hate to think what my condition would be if we hadn’t found them.

My health and lifestyle are normal now. I look forward to my checkups at Southwestern. The visits will give me the opportunity to see all the friends I made there, as well as to speak to others who are being treated or are contemplating treatment.

January 2003

It’s been many years since I had the HDR brachy treatment. At my last checkup, my PSA was 0.11!!! I thank God daily for helping me to make contact with CTCA in November 1997, and for the treatment I received there, and for the GREAT people that staff the hospital.

The treatment was painless for me and I did not experience any negative side effects during or following it. When I returned home, I went back to work immediately; I do outside work. I also do some running and simply refrained from that for a couple of weeks following the treatment. I have since then ran many marathons.

During my checkups at CTCA, I have spoken with a lot of patients who had been treated or were being treated. Time after time, I have been told how happy they were to have found CTCA because of the treatment and personal care they had received.

I constantly tell people about CTCA and the treatment that is provided for all types of cancer. If I were to have any type of cancer, CTCA is where I'd want to be treated. To me, it’s home away from home.

April 28, 2008

It’s been 10 years since I had the HDR brachytherapy for my prostate cancer. I now go once a year for a checkup. I have one scheduled in May at CTCA in Tulsa. A year ago, my PSA reading was .10.

In the 10 years since my treatment, I have not had any negative effects, interference with my work or any loss of work time.

I still run several times a week, a minimum of five miles a day, or 15 to 20 miles on weekends when I’m training for a marathon. I am now 70 and shudder to think of what my situation would be had I not had the HDR treatment. I have run 18 marathons since my treatment, and will run another one in May. I only mention this to indicate the positive outcome of my treatment, which hopefully will encourage others to look into the possibility of considering CTCA for treatment.

Ovarian Cancer Survivors

Speaking as a cancer survivor, Lori Warchol’s image is splashed across television screens across the nation. The De Pere, WI resident is an advocate for taking control of cancer and one’s own treatment as opposed to letting cancer take control.

That is not to say Warchol was always so self-assured.

At age 40, she went in for her annual gynecologic exam, except, she had actually skipped a year for her annual checkup. A program supervisor for Family Services, a private non-profit human service agency in Green Bay, Warchol leads a busy life and regular doctor appointments are something that can typically get pushed out of the way, especially when a person is feeling healthy. Her doctor noticed some changes in the exam results and ordered more tests. And though she had exhibited no outward symptoms except being a little more tired than usual, the news was not good.

“Those tests revealed a mass in my abdomen. They knew I needed surgery to remove the mass” Warchol said, recalling her emotion, “It could have been a number of things, but I didn’t want to believe it could be cancer.”

The mass did turn out to be endometriosis, which is benign, but during surgery, doctors noticed abnormalities with her ovaries and uterus. They performed a complete hysterectomy, then sent cells off for examination and, to be certain, for a second opinion. “The second opinion revealed the cells were not benign. They were cancerous. My life changed dramatically in two weeks,” Warchol said.

She was referred to a local oncologist. Numb from the diagnosis, she went to the appointment. Up until now, her treatment had been as she expected, but the there were nuances in her oncologist appointment that Warchol characterized as “things starting to go downhill.”

Within minutes, he told her the details of the diagnosis. The form of ovarian cancer was not necessarily aggressive but the statistics for outcome were also not very optimistic. Warchol was stunned.

“He did not give me a lot of hope. It was a very cold presentation that did not take into account what I was going through,” Warchol recalled. “He then referred me to a nurse. She told me the side effects to chemotherapy as though my treatment was already a done deal. The entire visit was very technical and lacked optimism and support.”

Even though Warchol had hoped for a little more compassion as well as options, possibly something including a holistic approach, she agreed to chemotherapy as prescribed because she was “scared, terrified” and did not think she had any more options. She was not offered any other choice.

Her first treatment was high dose of chemotherapy delivered over a three-hour period. She was tired and very sick for five days with awful body aches and nausea. She could not go to work. She had five more treatments to look forward to on top of her dissatisfaction with the oncologist.

“He was not able to answer questions about diet, nutrition and how I could become an active participant,” Warchol said, noting she had been reading about how proper nutrition could play a significant role in preventing and battling cancer.

After her oncologist told her it didn’t matter what she ate, she was determined to take control of the course of her treatment. A colleague at work gave her a brochure on a cancer treatment facility she had obtained while researching treatment options for another friend. That person decided to stay in the immediate Green Bay area for treatment, so the colleague still had the brochure.

The brochure, distributed by Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in Zion, Ill., offered a number of answers to Warchol’s questions, yet she was suspicious because the brochure entailed a treatment practice that sounded too good when compared to her own experience with the healthcare system. She took a chance and made a toll free telephone call.

She spoke to an oncology information specialist who verified her insurance, listed the ways the hospital would help her travel to Zion, and other things Warchol said she did not have the knowledge nor the energy to do herself.

She received an information packet in the mail the next day but that was not the most startling thing. That night, she received a call from Dr. Sybilann Williams, a gynecologic oncologist from CTCA who spent a half hour on the phone asking questions, then answering others. Three days later, Warchol was in her car making the three-hour drive south to Zion. When she arrived, her reticence changed almost immediately. “Because of the people there, my suspicion just melted away. With the layout and design, it does not look or feel like a hospital. It was a compassionate place to be. I was treated with respect,” Warchol said, adding that Dr. Williams spent two hours with her on that initial consult.

The entire experience gave her hope she had not experienced to that point. But though it went well with all the specialists that day, chemotherapy was still on the horizon. That, too, was different at CTCA. The same, high dose of chemotherapy was delivered in fractionated doses over several days and Warchol felt healthier because of the nutrition and supplement support she received. She did have minor side effects but not the wracking body aches and nausea she experienced before.

In fact, she was now able to go to work between chemotherapy treatments. She finished her total of five chemotherapy treatments at CTCA in May of 1998. Every six months since, she has received a clean bill of health. Warchol said she looks forward to coming back each time because of the connection she has with the people who work at the Zion hospital. She has become an avid spokeswoman for seeking out all of one’s options and not giving up hope. This includes her desire to be featured in a television advertisement where she talks of options and hope.

“It is important for everyone to know, no matter how scared or devastated they are, there are a number of options out there. I experienced a combination of medical expertise and good customer service that is hard to come by. This has been the best healthcare experience of my life,” Warchol said.

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