Cancer Interviews

Author: Jim Foster

It is our sincere hope that however cancer may be impacting you or your loved ones, that you will find the Cancer Interviews podcast and our interviews with amazing cancer survivors, caregivers, oncology professionals and others, helpful, informative and encouraging! Our guests share their stories with things like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, stem cell transplants, bone marrow transplants, the emotional ups and downs of being a cancer patient, being a caregiver for a loved one fighting cancer, as well as cancer nutrition and allow them an opportunity to tell us about their life before, during and after their cancer journey. We do not provide medical advice on this podcast. Please remember, you are not alone and we invite you to be a part of our team, where together, everyone achieves more! We are sharing the journey together and we wish you the very best possible outcome, with your cancer journey!
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Language: en

Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine

Contact email: Get it

Feed URL: Get it

iTunes ID: Get it

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At age 18, Steve Garraty ran on his high school's track team and was in great shape. But he noticed a lump on the left side of his neck and a tingling sensation anytime he drank alcohol. The lump grew, he sought medical attention and the lump turned out to be a mass. He had the lump surgically removed, but only days later, he received a phone call informing him he had Stage III Hodgkin's lymphoma. Steve was put on a chemotherapy regimen of ABVD and MOPP. He suffered the usual side effects associated with chemo, but achieved survivorship. He cannot run anymore because of how it affects his knees and back, but otherwise leads a happy life with his wife and two sons. Like many other teenagers, Steve felt invincible, so at first he wasn't concerned about the lump in his neck; but he visited a buddy whose mom was a nurse. As soon as she saw the lump, she was alarmed. Steve told his parents about the lump, and they became alarmed as well. The lump then grew rapidly. When he sought medical attention, a biopsy revealed a mass the size of a grapefruit. The mass was removed, but further tests showed in addition to Steve's neck the mass spread to his chest and stomach, and that he had Stage III Hodgkin's lymphoma. When learning of his diagnosis, he was most concerned about whether he would be able to attend a party the following night. The oncologist told Steve the only treatment option was chemotherapy. Treatment began in the summer of 1986 and finished in the spring of 1987. Every two weeks Steve went in and the care team alternated between two regimen. One was MOPP, which stands for mustargen, oncovin, procarbazine and prednisone. The other was ABVD, which stands for adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine. Steve experienced many of the typical side effects tied to chemo, including nausea, fatigue and hair loss. Steve was making progress. His care team informed him the tumor was shrinking, and on a subsequent visit, he was surprised to learn there was no evidence of disease. While it might sound strange, Steve Garraty said in retrospect, cancer saved his life. It forced him to change his lifestyle in a positive way. Without his cancer journey, he said drugs and alcohol would be playing a major role and that had he gone to college, he would have flunked out. Steve has gone on to write a book documenting his story. The book, "Greatfruit, How Cancer Led to Living a More Fruitful Life." It seeks to be of aid to anyone who has experienced trauma and tragedy, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with cancer. Additional Resources: Steve's Book: "Greatfruit, How Cancer Led to Living a More Fruitful Life." Steve Website: https://www.stevegarraty.com · Amazon: https://bit.ly/4kkB4mB · LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/foryou/ · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevegarratyauthor/