Patient Stories

How a doctor’s visit helped save my life

In the last two years, Bill B. has battled and won the fight against not one, but two different cancers. A true survivor shares his story.

Bill and his wife Debbie with grandchildren Bryson, Brandon and Ryder.

Bill had always been a good patient and followed all the rules. He ate right, went to the gym, kicked his smoking habit 20 years ago, didn't drink too much and took care of himself. He and his wife, Debbie, made an effort to cook healthy dishes, and relaxed by traveling frequently throughout the west. After 31 years as a VP at Del Monte, he retired and focused on spending more time with his grandchildren.

In addition to pursuing a healthy lifestyle, Bill was religious about going in for his annual physicals. Little did he know that several unexpected doctor visits would eventually help save his life.

In 2009, Bill had persisting pain in his left lower back that became a concern. An ultrasound found swollen glands that weren't progressing, but also weren't healing. Over two months, he lost 20 pounds. He knew something was wrong, and so did his oncologist.

After a negative first biopsy, a second biopsy tested positive. At the age of 58, Bill was diagnosed with stage two non-Hodgkins Lymphoma just two days before Christmas. Pursuing treatment as quickly as possible, Bill underwent chemotherapy from January until April of 2010.

Read more: How a doctor’s visit helped save my life

My Story: Alfred D.

When Alfred heard about prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in the late 80’s, he was one of the first men to sign up for annual testing at the young age of 35. While there was no family history of prostate cancer to his knowledge, he knew he was at a higher risk as an African American man.

Twenty years of diligent annual testing went by. Then, at age 55, Alfred’s PSA test came back with negative results. Alfred had experienced no symptoms, but during his exam they found his PSA level had elevated from 2.1 to 5.6 in one year, and the digital rectal exam (DRE) showed that his prostate shape had changed. Further testing via an ultrasound and biopsies on several tissue samples revealed prostate cancer.

With the loving support of his wife, Alice, and their three children Gregory, Sabrina and Tyeka, Alfred battled the disease. Three months after his diagnosis, Alfred underwent a radical prostatectomy and headed home to recover three days later. He did not undergo radiation or chemo for his treatment. With the exception of some temporary urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, Alfred made a speedy recovery to full health. He credits the support and loving care from his family with his recovery.

Determined to share his experiences with others, Alfred helped develop the first American Cancer Society speaker’s bureau. Through telling his story, Alfred has increased prostate cancer awareness among hundreds of people during the past 10 years.

But Alfred’s battle isn’t over yet.

Read more: My Story: Alfred D.

Full-Court Shot

In a twist of determination & destiny, one of Pacific Urology's own employees summons the will to win at the final buzzer against cancer's longest odds.

Hiker, skier, camper, gym rat, three-times-a-week basketball player – at age 51, Jon Jardine was the picture of health and fitness. A one-time college athlete, for more than 30 years Jon had lived an always-on-the-go lifestyle despite the demands of a business career in banking, technology and health care administration.

Even family hobbies and vacations revolved around physical activity. With two athletic daughters three years apart, for the better part of two decades Jon and wife Terri spent evenings and weekends making the rounds of volleyball and basketball games, both as spectators and – in Jon's case – as sometime coach. 

In the spring of 2009, with daughters now grown, Jon and Terri looked ahead joyfully towards their oldest daughter's wedding set for that summer. That's when Jon's finely attuned physical-feedback system began sounding muted alarms.

The symptoms arrived slowly. After 25 years of steady body weight, Jon lost 10 pounds, then 15, and then 20. A persistent cough followed. All this came with a mild fatigue he couldn't shake. In the midst of growing symptoms, an annual physical indicated perfect health. Two rounds of lab tests later, everything still looked normal. But Jon still didn't feel normal. "Intuitively, I knew something was wrong," he says. His doctor then recommended a chest X-ray, at last yielding answers.

"It looked like a snowstorm"

Ironically, Jon had a new job that would play into his story. Less than a year earlier he had become chief administration officer at Pacific Urology. He took his X-ray results to co-worker Dr. Brian Hopkins, a Pacific Urology physician highly experienced in urological cancers. The film revealed masses of black splotches in his lungs.

"It looked a snowstorm – blotted everywhere with tumors," Dr. Hopkins says.

Read more: Full-Court Shot