Page 7 - HealthnetworkMagazine2019-FIN_Neat

did. The oral surgeon took a biopsy of the at home. I did not smoke. And I had cancer?
raspberry spot in my throat, and, of course, I My life is over, I thought. My mind immediately
asked him the same question: went to “What should I do for my kids? What if
“Is there any way this could be cancer?” I’m not going to be around for them?”
“That’s the last thing on my list,” he
reassured me. He said it was probably a My first phone call
fast-growing lesion and that we may have to The minute I left the doctor’s office I called
harvest some tissue from the roof of my my dad—which I guess is what I do when I’m
mouth to rebuild my gums, maybe pull some afraid. He was on the tarmac at Cleveland
teeth. It didn’t sound pleasant, but I left his Hopkins Airport about to take off on a flight to
office feeling confident I didn’t have cancer.
New York City. He told me to hold tight, that
he would make some calls.
My life is over By the time he landed, he’d already been
A week later the oral surgeon’s office called in touch with Healthnetwork, and by noon
and asked me to come in for the biopsy of that day I got a call from Pat Ridolfi at
results. I figured it had to be bad news or else Healthnetwork. She told me they would like
they would’ve just told me over the phone. I got me to see Dr. Theodorus (Ted) Teknos,
their first appointment of the day at 7:30 a.m. President and Scientific Officer of University
It was, the oral surgeon told me, squamous Hospitals (UH) Seidman Cancer Center.
cell carcinoma of the gingiva. In other words, “He’s the best,” Pat assured me.
head and neck cancer. A liaison from UH called within minutes
My head started to spin. I felt like throwing and said they could get me in with Dr. Teknos
up. I was only 39 years old. I had three children at 4:00 p.m. that same day.

After completing treatment, Kelly came by the Healthnetwork office with a special thank-you gift for
the staff. The bracelets are engraved with a phrase that was meaningful to Kelly throughout the cancer
experience: “Faith over Fear.”

“My experience with Healthnetwork

was far from ‘normal.’ The kind of
cancer I had is typically found in men
over 50 who have been lifelong smokers,
and even then it is rare. Dr. Teknos is
the leading specialist in the world for
head and neck cancers—and somehow

Healthnetwork got me an appointment
with him within eight hours of
my diagnosis!”

—KELLY BRYAN

One Call Starts It All +1 (866) 968-2467 +1 (440) 893-0830 7