Print this Page
E-mail This Page
Lung Cancer
Lung Cancer
 |
Jean Minetta - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIn March 2008, Jean Minetta was planning to undergo a routine procedure to remove her gallbladder. During pre-admission testing, Jean's world turned upside down when an X-ray detected a large mass on her right lung. |
 |
John Reeves - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIn 2009, John Reeves took a bad fall. "That's when it all started," he recalled. At the age of 78, John didn't recover as quickly as he expected. A former high school football star and self-titled #1 concrete man in Philadelphia, John is a strong guy. He sought medical attention and during a routine x-ray, doctors saw something suspicious. "That's when I decided to see Dr. Walter Scott at Fox Chase." |
 |
Anthony Coraluzzo - Bilateral Lung CancerWhen Tony Coraluzzo heard he had less than a year to live he was more upset about leaving his wife than anything else. "Chyrle and I have been married for 30 years and have no kids. We mean everything to each other," he shared. "All I could think of was my wife - I didn't want her to be alone without me." |
 |
Beth Valenti - Pancoast TumorBeth Valenti always knew smoking was not a good idea, but like many people, she did it anyway. She was young and never really thought about lung cancer. But after losing her mom to cancer in 1996, Beth quit the habit cold turkey. Almost 12 years later, in March 2008, she went to the doctor complaining of pain in her arm. A series of shoulder x-rays revealed a mass on her lung. According to Beth, her doctors advised her to "go home, get your things in order and plan your funeral." She was 41 at the time. |
 |
Charlie Gallen - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerLife has not been an easy ride for Charlie Gallen. In 1975, at the age of 29, Charlie, a boilermaker, lost his arm below the elbow during a work-related accident. He recovered from the injury and learned to wear a prosthesis (an artificial extension of his arm) to retain some function of his arm and hand. Charlie, who was married with one daughter at the time, enrolled in welding school and became a full-fledged welder. |
 |
Arlene Koller - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerArlene Koller is no stranger to adversity. She lost her first husband when he suffered a massive heart attack, leaving Arlene with 3 small boys to care for. She was the treasurer of a wholesale paper business. After she lost her husband, Arlene added the responsibility of presidency of her late husband's chemical business. Arlene later remarried, and in 2000, she and her husband began to travel the world. |
 |
Jule Erdie - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIn January 2004, Jule Erdie was having trouble breathing. As a former smoker, this was nothing new. But something was different this time. He saw his local doctors in New Jersey, who suspected he might have lung cancer. |
 |
Albert Green - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerAfter learning he had prostate cancer, Al Green was just about ready to start treatment at his local hospital. His wife, Irma, remembered, "We were at home watching TV when a commercial for Fox Chase Cancer Center came on with Dr. Horwitz. It said they were the first hospital in the area to offer IMRT for prostate cancer. We were sold! I picked up the phone and called right away." |
 |
Judith Bernstein - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerA long time resident of Ambler, Judith Bernstein, was enjoying a blessed life. She has a devoted husband, Arnold, a son, a daughter and beautiful grandchildren who are the love of her life. She had been diagnosed with numerous squamous cell skin carcinomas that were successfully removed. But there is much more to Judy. |
 |
Marilyn Goldsmith - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerMarilyn Goldsmith lives in Philadelphia, but spends much of her time with family in Florida where the weather is enjoyable. Eleven years ago, while in Florida, Marilyn was not feeling quite right and noticed her memory was not as sharp as it should be. A neurologist performed some diagnostic tests and determined that Marilyn had lung cancer that had metastasized to her brain. Marilyn was given 3-6 months to live. |
|
Joanne Hartnett - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIt was Memorial Day weekend in 1998 and Joanne Hartnett, who was about 50 at the time, was mowing the lawn. A neighbor witnessed as she passed out in the yard. Because her speech was slurred, Joanne's neighbor drove her to the emergency room at their local hospital where doctors initially suspected she had a stroke. |
 |
John Higgins - Small Cell AND Non-Small Cell Lung CancerWhen John Higgins made the decision in 1994 to seek the expertise of Fox Chase Cancer Center physicians for a second opinion, he had no idea the relationship would continue for the next 13+ years. |
 |
Brian McGarvey - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerFinding out you will soon be the "father of the bride" should be an exciting time in a man's life. Unfortunately for Brian McGarvey, the timing was bittersweet. |
 |
Eleanor Sypher - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerIn 2004, during Eleanor Sypher's routine check up with her primary care physician, she had a chest x-ray taken. With no symptoms, she was surprised to learn she had a suspicious mass in her lung. Her doctor believed it was a cancerous tumor. He suggested she go to one of two hospitals located in downtown Philadelphia. Eleanor did not listen. |
 |
Ronald Sweinhart - Non-Small Cell Lung CancerShaving each morning was part of Ronald Sweinhart's routine, which was typically non-eventful. This changed in January 2002 when Ronald felt a tiny lump in his neck. Ronald showed the lump to his family doctor who immediately knew something was wrong. He ordered an x-ray right away. |
Mesothelioma
Lung Cancer | Mesothelioma | Esophageal Cancer | Benign Esophageal Tumor | Metastatic Lung Masses
 |
Phyllis Ader - MesotheliomaIn the summer of 2009, Phyllis Ader experienced difficulty breathing. Her doctor thought it might be caused by bronchitis, so he prescribed medication. But her symptoms did not improve. "My sister had bronchitis at the same time, but she recovered and I didn't," recalled Phyllis. Her doctor ordered an x-ray, which did not uncover anything suspicious - in fact, her lung did not show up. The radiologist figured she had a lung removed. |
Esophageal Cancer
Lung Cancer | Mesothelioma | Esophageal Cancer | Benign Esophageal Tumor | Metastatic Lung Masses
 |
Marlin Beach - Esophageal CancerIn 2007, for the first time in his life, Marlin Beach had trouble eating. During every meal, food would become stuck in this throat. Instead of seeking medical attention, Marlin secretly hoped it would go away. Fortunately, his wife of 35 years, Bonnie, knew it would not disappear on its own. In the spring of 2008, she finally convinced him to go to the doctor. After several rounds of tests, they learned that Marlin's inability to swallow food properly was caused by a malignant tumor on his esophagus. |
 |
Charlie Cressman - Esophageal CancerInstead of slowing down to enjoy some time off with his kids, Charles Cressman started the summer of 2008 as busy as ever. Running his own contracting business, Charlie worked 60 hours a week and often ate a late dinner before retiring for the night. "Every night I had symptoms of acid reflux, including shortness of breath and choking," explained Charlie, who attributed it to eating a big meal before bed. Finally, he sought medical attention and underwent an endoscopy. |
 |
Richard Johnson - Esophageal CancerAlmost everyone faces challenges in his or her lifetime. For Rich Johnson, his life alterning challenge was a shocking diagnosis of esophageal cancer in May 2008. He was 50 years old. His immediate thoughts were to find out what treatment was available; which cancer centers offered leading treatment; and where he could find the country's top cancer specialists. |
Benign Esophageal Tumor
Lung Cancer | Mesothelioma | Esophageal Cancer | Benign Esophageal Tumor | Metastatic Lung Masses
 |
Jerry Vanderwoude - Benign Esophageal TumorThe summer of 2006 was no fun for Jerry Vanderwoude. He was the victim of a car accident that left him unable to work. He lost his job and spent the next 7 months looking for a new one. The following spring, Jerry landed a great new job as a refrigeration technician for Scanlon Associates in its steel plant. Just 4 months later, in the winter of 2008, Jerry began choking on his food at every meal. He wrote it off to the fact that he was eating too fast – or maybe not chewing properly. |
Metastatic Lung Masses
Lung Cancer | Mesothelioma | Esophageal Cancer | Benign Esophageal Tumor | Metastatic Lung Masses
 |
Kelly Pearsall - Metastatic MelanomaFor many years, Kelly Pearsall tried to get pregnant but was unsuccessful. Then, at the age of 38, she lost her father to cancer. Not long after, Kelly learned she was pregnant. "The timing was crazy," she recalled. "It was miraculous - as if my dad were watching over me." A couple of years later, when Kelly turned 40, she had her second daughter. Kelly felt very fortunate and had found true happiness in motherhood. Then, in January 2009, her life was turned upside down when she was told she had months to live. |