| Cecil's Story
When the going gets tough, never give up. That’s Cecil’s advice. And he has the life experience to prove it.
Cecil, a father of three, was working as a bartender in Auburn when he started experiencing severe pain. After a few tests were unable to diagnosis his condition, he was scheduled for surgery with Michael Antonini, M.D.,
a surgeon at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital.
“In surgery, Dr. Antonini discovered I had invasive cancer in my intestine and made the decision that my best chance of survival would be to remove it,” said Cecil. “The surgery ended up lasting hours, and Dr. Antonini made sure he got every last bit he could. Even though I wasn’t expecting a cancer diagnosis, the care I received from the doctors and nurses at Sutter Auburn was incredible.”
After his diagnosis of colon cancer, Cecil was referred to Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital oncologist, Gurvinder Shaheed, M.D. Because of the aggressive nature of his cancer, Cecil thought he didn’t have much time to live… six months….two years…or maybe more. “But with Dr. Shaheed, there is always Plan B,” said Cecil. “Dr. Shaheed was positive and went over everything that we could do to help clear me of the cancer.”
Cecil went through chemotherapy and treatment for two years. He had frequent infusion therapy at Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital’s Infusion Center, where he made friends with the staff – always trying to keep them on their toes.
“Chemotherapy is hard on your body,” said Cecil. “Sometimes you have to force yourself to do something – even if it is just getting up – and you have to stay positive,” said Cecil.
In June, Cecil went in for a PET scan to track his treatment progress. His cancer was gone – something that he didn’t ever expect to hear. His mind began to flood with things he could now look forward to, and at the top of his list was sharing the exciting news with his family, watching his daughters graduate from college and continuing to create memories with his girlfriend.
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women. Learn about colon cancer screening and treatment.
Visit checksutterfirst.org to read more amazing stories.
Need a New Doctor or Specialist?
Our Physician Directory connects you with our network of highly qualified primary care doctors and specialists. Start a search based on your preferences now. |
