When 56-year-old Johnny was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he was devastated and given only weeks to live. He was told by his doctors not to even bother with treatment.
“That’s where the medical team at CyberKnife Miami is much different from other cancer centers,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, board certified radiation oncologist and medical director at the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
He adds, “Our attitude is the exact opposite. Why not try? You have nothing to lose and everything to gain including precious time, the greatest gift of all. We believe you never give up hope and newer technologies like CyberKnife are giving patients hope when there was none.”
“Years later many of our patients and their families come back to us for a visit to celebrate life. They talk non-stop about the additional time they’ve been given to do all kinds of wonderful, fun things, and spend quality time together,” says Gail Suarez, radiation therapist and VP of operations at CyberKnife Miami. “Things patients say they might not have done had they not been diagnosed with cancer.”
Cancer or any life threatening illness does have a way of changing your attitude about so many things in life, including doing all the things you’ve wanted to do in life but always put off for one reason or another.
Every cancer patient like Johnny will tell you, “Cancer puts everything into perspective and you no longer sweat the small stuff. You look at life completely different, you no longer take things or people for granted. You appreciate life and everything it has to offer so much more, from sunrise to sunset.”
What gave Johnny additional time and many precious gifts is CyberKnife. CyberKnife technology delivers powerful, targeted radiation therapy directly to the tumor, killing it, while at the same time not damaging surrounding tissue or nearby vital organs, therefore reducing the risk of side effects and future complications for the patient.
Dr. Pomper says, “Decades of clinical research shows that higher doses of radiation can safely and effectively treat tumors, and potentially double patients survival rates, even in patients with a poor prognosis.”
Just ask Johnny, “Fortunately my daughter had heard about CyberKnife and we went to a CyberKnife center for a second opinion and we were shocked when they said we can help you and they sure did. I wish more people knew about CyberKnife. I tell everyone I can about it, at every opportunity because your doctor may not tell you, especially if their medical center doesn’t have CyberKnife. They want to keep those medical dollars at their facility instead of sending you somewhere else, even if it’s nearby and could save your life. Do yourself a favor. If you have cancer talk to CyberKnife experts, especially if you are only given months to live. I was given 6 weeks and that was 3 years ago.”
Gail says, “As a result of our compassionate care we develop lasting relationships with our patients. Many times we hear from our patients about how the doctors and staff at CyberKnife Miami have helped them get through treatment as easily as possible. We not only treat them physically, we take care of their emotional needs, and that’s just as important.”
For those of you we hear from, we thank you for passing along your kind words. Here are some of our favorite quotes and stories of survival. Keep in mind these are just a few of them. We have treated thousands of patients successfully since opening our doors in 2003.
“I had lung cancer and was given 3 months to live. That was 5 years ago, and now my life expectancy is the same as any person without cancer.” ~ Nick
“My brain tumors dissolved while I got on with my normal routines and living my life. If a tumor comes back or I get another one, I go in for another treatment and they disappear again.” ~ Judith
“With traditional spinal surgery, they would’ve cut my back open to remove the tumor, which could’ve left me paralyzed. With the CyberKnife, they just zapped the tumor and 30 minutes later I went to lunch.” ~ Jack
To learn more about treatment with CyberKnife and what to expect or to schedule a consultation, call the CyberKnife Center of Miami at (800) 204-0455.
And here’s the link to see our patient success stories.