Treated 2002 · Posted 2003

“I was so excited to phone my urologist, to cancel my surgery date . . .”

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October of 2001. Then there was the decision of “what do I do??” My urologist gave me three options-----#1 ignore it for a year then check the PSA again, #2 have the radical prostatectomy, or #3 have the seed implant. After many confusion and family discussions we decided to go for the doctor’s recommendation of the radical surgery and made a surgery appointment for January 7, 2002. We did go one step further and made an appointment with our local oncologist that strictly does the seed implant. Of course all he recommended was the seed implant or the radical surgery. He said he had heard of “Proton” but didn’t know anything about it.

It was the first week of November when a friend stopped by my house while I was working in the front yard. During our conversation he told me about his eye problems so I told him I had prostate cancer. His response was “Oh my gosh, don’t have any surgery until you talk to my friend in Seattle. He can tell you all about something called Proton! They do it down in California somewhere and my friend really believes in it.” Well, that was good enough for me. I was excited to talk to anybody about an alternative to surgery.

It took me a week to get hold of this guy because he had been in Palm Springs, CA. Anyway, this guy ended up being Larry Stevenson who graduated from the Proton treatment in Loma Linda, in December 2000. Larry invited us to his home one evening for a two-hour informational gab session. He gave us the phone number to the referral office. He also came by our house on a couple of occasions to drop off paperwork. This guy religiously believes in Proton and he will tell anyone who will listen, which has included lectures at the YMCA.

The day following our conversation with Larry, my wife phoned Janice in the referral office at Loma Linda and started the ball rolling. It only took a week to ten days of numerous phone calls, E-mailing doctor records, and checking insurance. We scheduled an appointment for Feb. 4, 2002. I was so excited to phone my urologist, to cancel my surgery date and tell him I was accepted for Proton treatment in Loma Linda. Of course he frowned on the whole idea. He claims, “Proton is too experimental.” Oh well.

I began my 40 treatments Feb. 11 and finished April 9, 2002. I am happy with it all. I’m anxious to check my PSA in four months. “Thank you Proton!”

Harland Hughes - Renton, Washington

Postscript: Harland’s four month post treatment PSA was 0.3
 

"I have not spent one dollar on medicines or follow-up procedures in my 20 years post-proton treatment."
- Wayne Swartz, BOB Member
"You owe it to yourself and to those who love you to safeguard your quality of life. Surgery will not do that ... proton therapy can."
- Jeannie Chase, Spouse
- Warren Johns, BOB member
"15 years have passed since exposure to the penetrating power of the proton and the superb medical skills of the 'beam team.'”
"The procedure was a breeze. It has been 10 years and I feel GREAT.”
- Tom Wright, BOB member
"As long as I live, I will do everything I can to spread the word about proton treatment.”
- Jim Tuggey, BOB member
"I am celebrating 8 years post-treatment with no recurrence, no side effects, and not one more penny for medications."
Robert T. Gore, M.D. F.A.C.O.G.

 


The Purcell's fairy tale life came to a halt when the doctor diagnosed Pat with prostate cancer. 

Little did they know that 25 years earlier, a doctor 1,200 miles away risked his entire career to pioneer proton treatment with virtually no side effects. “Against All Odds” follows a couple’s desire to fight cancer and unveils the historical account of a doctor’s passion to discover a better treatment option.

Watch the video.


Questions? Ask us anything.

Proton Therapy Advantages:

· Less damage to healthy tissue
· Non-invasive, painless

· Outpatient setting
· No recovery time
· Lower chance of recurrence
· Few, if any, side effects

Want to talk to former proton patients? Just ask.


You Can Beat Prostate Cancer — NEW Edition Available

Written by former proton therapy patient and BOB founder, Robert Marckini

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