Prostate Cancer Survivor Richard Freitag of Beach Park
Celebrates Life® At Cancer Treatment Centers of America®
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Joins Fellow Five-Year Cancer Survivors in Tree-Planting Ceremony
Zion, Illinois – June 5, 2009 – Richard Freitag returned to Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Midwestern Regional Medical Center in suburban Chicago today to celebrate his five years as a prostate cancer survivor. Freitag was joined by doctors, hospital administration and the clinical support team in a tree-planting ceremony in his honor. Five doves were released at the conclusion of the event to commemorate each year of his fighting survival.
Freitag, 63 of Beach Park, Illinois was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004. “I was seen by my family practitioner who sent me to a urologist, but I wanted to get a second opinion,” he remembers.
Living just a few miles away, Freitag opted to get his second opinion and undergo treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion. Freitag’s treatment at CTCA consisted of internal and external radiation integrated with complementary medicine. “I’m just a very optimistic person. I had confidence in the staff. When I first talked to the urologist, he was talking surgery, which is pretty radical, but I was able to get about 60 treatments of radiation therapy instead,” he said.
Now, as a cancer survivor of five years, Freitag’s advice to other patients is clear, “Focus on the future and keep positive. For me, it was looking toward retirement and focusing on enjoying the rest of my years that kept me going,” he said.
Freitag retired after thirty years of service in the military and immediately began teaching Junior ROTC at Zion-Benton high school. Today, he teaches Junior ROTC at Wheeling high school in Wheeling, Illinois. On the weekends, he spends his time golfing, working in the yard and reading biographies while relaxing at home. Freitag remains an active participant in fighting cancer, participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life and supporting cancer awareness whenever he can.
With so much life surrounding him, Freitag remarks ‘how sweet it is’ that “I’ve been cancer-free for five years now and have great quality of life!”
This year, 104 CTCA patients are celebrating their five-year triumph over cancer at CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center. “At Cancer Treatment Centers of America, we surround each patient with a multidisciplinary care team that is designed to meet their individual needs,” said Anne Meisner, president and CEO at CTCA at Midwestern Regional Medical Center. “Our team provides state of the art treatment protocols with fully integrated complementary therapies. We empower our patients to help them take control of their cancer and every patient is treated as though they were a member of our own family. We are so proud of our celebrants and honored to acknowledge and celebrate their journey and continued success,” she added.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is a national network of hospitals providing a comprehensive, fully integrative approach to cancer treatment. CTCA serves patients with advanced cancer from all 50 states at facilities located in suburban Chicago, Philadelphia, Tulsa and suburban Phoenix. For more information about Cancer Treatment Centers of America, go to cancercenter.com.
