Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept-Oct 2018

46 www.VoteBestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.ClemsonCarolinaTickets.com feature with Roper St. Francis, put her on an intense cocktail of chemotherapy after discussing her options. “I almost quit – the doctor told me I would lose my hair, but it felt like it was killing me. These doctors, along with Dr. O’Neill, were my cheerleaders – kept me going and really saved my life,” she smiled. Along with radiation and chemo, Ganz-Seiderman has endured 22 surgeries over three years, including multiple skin grafts due to her body’s adverse reactions to procedures, some which became life-threatening. Dr. Patrick O’Neill of O’Neill Plastic Surgery, she said, is a true lifesaver and was the doctor presiding over each of her surgeries. She also made friends as she navigated her breast cancer treatments and got involved in Dragon Boat Charleston, a racing club that promotes wellness among cancer survivors. A year after her surgeries, the love of family, her friends, fellow survivors and three adult children are her greatest support system and lifesavers, and her passion for dragon boat racing has taken her to national and international competitions. She continues to paddle four times a week. “We’re proud for the fight, and we’re not letting it get to us,” she said of herself and her survivor friends. “I know it’s not easy. My husband died of cancer when my daughter was 16 months old. My parents died of cancer, too. I’m still here. There’s a whole lot out there to still live for and still explore and smile about. Just the curiosity of what tomorrow is going to bring is enough to give all you have to hang in there,” she said. EDWARD SOUTHARD Prostate Cancer Survivor Following heart surgery 10 years ago, Edward Southard has been routinely getting bloodwork every three months to monitor a related medication. Luckily, the tests happen to include details of his prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, so when that value increased above the appropriate level, Southard and his doctors were aware early on. An MRI and biopsy helped confirm the diagnosis. He worked with Dr. Walker Nickels, a urologist with Palmetto Adult and Children’s Urology, P.A., and oncologist, Dr. William Collins at the Trident Cancer Center to vet his options – he will be turning 72 this October, and for his age bracket, Dr. Nickels recommended radiation treatment. Southard had 28 radiation treatments – five days a week and two to rest – combined with pills and shots designed also to combat the cancer. After one month, his treatment was a success, and the cancer was almost undetectable. “There is, of course, lots of anxiety; when you find out you have prostate cancer, you worry a lot about it just because of the fact that you know you have it,” Southard explained. “The radiation treatments made me nauseated, but only took about five minutes each time once I was on the table. I was so relieved when the results came back that it was successful, and I’m thankful for my doctors’ guidance and involvement throughout.” A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE “The word ‘cancer’ means unregulated growth,” explained Dr. Stephen Savage, chief of urology at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center and professor and vice chairman of urology at MUSC. “We represent it as one disease, but, in reality, it’s a number of diseases. Historically, several cancers have been overtreated.” He stressed the importance of cancer screening because cancer can certainly be deadly, and awareness and early detection can be integral in successful treatment. Around 30,000 lose their lives to prostate cancer each year, according to Harvard Health Publishing, and breast cancer takes about 40,000 lives annually, said the American Photo courtesy of Edward Southard. Photo by Helen Harris.