Ted Willbright
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This testimonial includes a description of this patient's actual medical results. Those results may not be typical or expected for the particular disease type described in this testimonial. For a compilation of outcomes for various disease types, including the type in this testimonial, please
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The year of 2007 was a life-changing year in more ways than one. I turned 50 and was just about to get married. I also found out that I had early stage Parkinson’s disease and was diagnosed with prostate cancer within the same week.
For four years, I had been receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate (otherwise known as benign prostate hyperplasia). I underwent a routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, which showed to be abnormal. I then had a biopsy, which indicated I had prostate cancer.
I decided to search for treatment options. I surfed the Internet and found cancercenter.com and chatted online with Patrick Brown, an Oncology Information Specialist who’s become a dear friend of mine. He explained how Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) treats prostate cancer. What immediately impressed me was the multidisciplinary approach CTCA takes. Their oncologists work with complementary medicine practitioners to treat the whole person.
I traveled to CTCA at Eastern Regional Medical Center in Philadelphia, where I underwent tests and had a consultation with a team of doctors and specialists in nutrition, naturopathy, mind-body medicine, and spiritual support. Each member of my care team met with me one-on-one to discuss my case and recommend a treatment plan tailored to my needs.
Because I already had a compromised prostate, High-Dose Rate brachytherapy was not an option. Also, I wasn’t open to the idea of undergoing a radical prostatectomy, which is known for affecting sexual performance. My CTCA oncology team advised that, given the location of the cancer, advanced radiation treatment was a good option for me. I decided to receive 12 weeks of TomoTherapy® treatment, as recommended.
My CTCA naturopath offered a variety of naturopathic medicines to lessen the side effects of my radiation treatment and strengthen my immune system. I am a big fan of the dietary supplements she has recommended. I take a daily regiment, which includes Omega-3 fish oils, CoQ10, green tea extract, Prostamax™, and additional prostate support nutrients.
I am also a proponent of acupuncture, which is another complementary therapy I received at CTCA. It helped to calm me, providing a sense of relaxation and release. I really enjoyed receiving these treatments.
I also had individual consultations with my CTCA dietitian, who also took me and other patients on excursions to nearby grocery stores to teach us which foods would be most beneficial.
All throughout the course of my treatment, I exercised. At least four days a week, I did strength exercises, or used the elliptical machine or treadmill.
The whole attitude of the staff at CTCA made such an impression on me. It was “hope springs eternal.” Everyone—from the drivers who pick patients up at the airport, to the housekeepers who keep the rooms clean, to the cafeteria staff who make great meals—brought a spirit of camaraderie, hope and motivation to my treatment. My entire experience at CTCA was conducive to rest and relaxation. It was all about recovery and recuperation, and I couldn’t have been in a better place for that. I think in many ways, it was one of the things that helped prepare me for a smooth transition back to work. I underwent treatment from mid-October 2007 through early January 2008, and started back to work on February 1. I didn’t miss a beat.
I’ve made some lifelong friends from my stop and stay at CTCA in Philadelphia. My wife and I recently visited a fellow patient and his wife who live in Virginia. We still maintain contact with a lot of people who underwent treatment at the same time.
Today, I’m doing things in my life I never dreamed of doing. I’m doing well and feeling pretty good. I go to my urologist every month for checkups. As of June 2008, my PSA level was at .03, which I consider to be excellent.
I continue to work hard as a social worker. I work out at the gym about three or four days a week, take my recommended supplements, eat healthy, and enjoy life as a newly married man. And I’ve become quite the social butterfly thanks to the CTCA Cancer Fighters® program, a patient-to-patient network. I’ve even walked the runway in a fashion show (which I’m pictured at above) that was a charity event the Cancer Fighters helped put on. I also represented the group and threw out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game (it was for the Brooklyn Cyclones). Being involved in the Cancer Fighter program is something that I enjoy doing. It’s something that I feel obligated to do because of the quality of care and concern that was shown to me throughout the course of my stay at CTCA.
