InterCommunity Cancer Centers News and Events |
The Orlando Sentinal - Lake County News
Leesburg Resident Beats Cancer, Resumes Playing 50-and-Over Basketball
by: Amy C. Rippel, Correspondent
February 20, 2012
Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/os-lk-leesburg-resident-beats-cancer-20120220,0,6116649.story
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LEESBURG, Fla. – Diagnosed with a rare form of cheek cancer in August, Whittington, a 65-year-old who loves to play basketball competitively, looked at his diagnosis as something that wouldn't keep him down.
Once diagnosed, he gathered his teammates from the InterCommunity Cancer Centers and faced the challenge head on.
Today, after surgery and dozens of rounds of radiation treatment, Whittington's life hasn't skipped a beat. The Leesburg insurance agent is as active as ever and determined to stay cancer free. He attributes his quick healing to his healthy lifestyle, strong will and the determined medical professionals at the Leesburg oncology center. |
 (Photo by Tom Benitez, Orlando Sentinel) |
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"I was lucky," Whittington said. "They are wonderful, good people. It really wasn't that bad."
Whittington's stage II malignant neoplasm of the cheek mucosa diagnosis came to light in August, after he discovered a sore in his mouth. It came a shock to Whittington, who is extremely active, eats healthy and doesn't smoke. He was told he needed to have surgery to remove the cancerous area and then radiation treatment.
When he heard that he needed radiation, he put on the brakes. He was worried that radiation treatment was too extreme, especially if the surgery successfully removed the cheek cancer. So he went to several doctors for second and third opinions.
That's when Dr. Herman Flink, a radiation oncologist at InterCommunity Cancer Centers, stepped in. Flink explained that even though the surgery removed the cancerous area, some microscopic cancer cells could remain and a pinpointed radiation treatment kills those cells.
"With computers, we can modulate the intensity of the radiation and make it conform to the area we want to treat," he said. "For most folks, it's surprisingly easy to do. It's an amazing science."
That's exactly what Whittington found. He did 30 radiation sessions that ended on Jan. 5.
Earlier, on Dec. 9, he played in the 2011 Florida International Senior Games & State Championship, an Olympic-style competition for those 50 and over. He and his teammates, called Allstate/Leesburg, took the gold medal in the Men's 3-on-3 division. Immediately after treatment, he played in the 2012 National Masters Basketball USA tournament in Jacksonville.
He's determined that cancer won't slow him down.
"I know it was the competitor in me who refused to back down from the cancer," he said, "and thankfully I truly did live to play another day."
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Center Contact:
Deborah Reagan
Netowrk Development Manager
Inter Community Cancer Centers,
Vantage Oncology
(352) 267-2922 |
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