Early diagnosis of cancer is very important, because cancer that is diagnosed in an early stage can be treated more effectively and also limits the possibility of metastases developing.

MARTIN CONNOLLY, CANCER SURVIVOR

‘After we came out [of the diagnosis], of course we were very emotional. I thought it
was a death sentence at that point.’

At sixty-nine years old, Martin Connolly is fighting fit. He ran the twentyone-
kilometre Two Oceans Half Marathon in April 2011 and is regularly on
his bicycle, taking on the many hills around Cape Town. This is, of course,
when he is not falling off, driving his wife crazy with his biking injuries.

As he is gregarious and the picture of health, you would never guess that
Martin only finished chemotherapy and radiation treatment for rectal cancer
five months before running the Two Oceans. In fact, it is difficult to picture
him in any shape other than that of robust fitness. But for five-and-a-half
weeks of his life, he was sicker and in more pain than he ever thought was
possible – at a period when he was meant to be having the time of his life.

‘I retired completely at the age of sixty-seven and, in my first year of
retirement, when I really should have started enjoying myself, I had a cycling
accident. It was March 2011 and I fractured my left hip and pelvis. I
recovered from that and then got back on the bike in June. In early July, I was
going to cycle early one Saturday morning. When I went to the toilet before
going out, I saw that the toilet bowl was full of blood. I didn’t worry about it,’
Martin explains.

Figuring it was just something minor, he had another enjoyable cycle and
a relaxing weekend. By the Monday, however, he realised it was probably a
good idea to have it checked out. His GP sent him in for a colonoscopy and
the mass that the doctor had found was sent in for a biopsy. ‘When we went
back to the doctor’s office on the Tuesday, he said, “Come and sit down. I
would like to give you good news, but I can’t. There is no such thing as good
cancer and the cancer you’ve got is aggressive.”’

Martin says when someone tells you that you have cancer, your emotions
immediately go on a rollercoaster ride. He thought it meant that he was
dying. He was sent in for MRI scans and CAT scans straightaway, so that
they could judge the extent of his cancer before making a treatment decision.

In the meantime, the Connollys alerted their children and the rest of their
family.

The general surgeon dealing with Martin’s case wanted to operate
straightaway to remove the tumour, but Martin was sceptical. ‘I was a
mechanical engineer. I see everything as an engineering problem. I said to
him, “You’re a general surgeon, how technical is the surgery?” He told me it
was very easy and he had done it plenty of times. I said, “Before I go in, I
want at least an oncologist sitting at the table with me because I want to know
what the alternatives are and options I’ve got.” Then he got a bit shirty with
me. He was attending a colorectal surgeon’s workshop at Groote Schuur
Hospital the following morning, so he took my test results with him and
presented them to the colorectal team.’

It was because of this that Martin was referred to Groote Schuur, where
his case was reviewed at the colorectal clinic. He waited three weeks before he
was seen by the team. ‘It was a bit stressful because they say it is aggressive,
but you don’t know what that means. They talk to you in medical terms, but
the layman doesn’t really understand.’

The doctors at the hospital were also confident that surgery was the best
way to get rid of the tumour and the head of colorectal surgery at Groote
Schuur, Professor Paul Goldberg, who is also the professor of surgery at the
UCT medical school, expressed his interest in conducting the surgery himself.

Martin was prepped, sent into the operating theatre and put under
anaesthetic. When he woke up an hour later and felt no pain, however, he
realised the operation had not happened. ‘They came in to see me and he
[Goldberg] said that if he had done the surgery, I would have been incontinent
for the rest of my life. We sat down and had a chat and he said that it’s not
just about saving a life, it’s about the quality of life that you have after the
surgery. He had decided not to do it. If I had just agreed with the first
surgeon, I’m sure he would have climbed in and done the surgery and I would
have been in a world of trouble.’

The Groote Schuur team, who Martin believes are some of the best
doctors in South Africa, came up with a treatment plan for him that would
involve chemotherapy and radiation. Not wanting to take the place of
someone at Groote Schuur who may not have medical aid and needed
treatment (Martin’s medical aid is one of the highest schemes), he left with the
plan and started his treatment privately. ‘I was very sick at the time after the
chemo and the burns from the radiation; it was a horrible time. The chemo
was okay, it just knocks you flat, but the radiation was the worst, the burns
were terrible. In the final week they had to take me into hospital and put me
on a morphine drip for the pain for the burns.’

While Martin had always been very healthy and fit, he made sure to eat a
lot of fresh fruit, blended in a juicer, during his treatment and recovery. He
also ate a lot of fresh vegetables. He read up about his type of cancer and the
resounding advice was to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables. ‘If anybody is going
to go through this and go through chemo, they need to try and keep
themselves topped up on fruit and good vegetables, fresh vegetables and raw
vegetables. For me it was certainly important to keep the vitamin C up.’
Martin giggles, ‘I was taking a lot of prune juice at one point when I had the
burns, just to make things a bit easier.’

Once his treatment was completed in October 2011, he had to wait six
months before he could be tested to see if the cancer had been cleared. He was
desperate to know straightaway if he had beaten it, but would have to be
patient. In February 2012, Martin and his wife decided that if they were going
to sit around waiting, they might as well be comfortable doing it. They flew to
Thailand and lay on the beach for five weeks. ‘This is where I really started to
recover. I ran on the beach every morning – seven to eight kilometres – and
then relaxed for the day.’

It was happy news a few months after their return. Martin underwent
of any cancer. Because of his sporty lifestyle (and cycling accidents) he has
also undergone bone-density tests and MRI scans, which all show that he is in
perfect health.

A triumph for Martin, besides returning to cycling and living an active
cancer-free lifestyle, has been becoming a buddy with PLWC. He found it
incredibly tough to locate any sort of support group when he was diagnosed
and eventually consulted the Irish Cancer Society online with the help of his
son. He says that they were great and answered questions very quickly.

Locally, however, he battled to find a counterpart. ‘Some people want to talk
about it and want to know exactly what is happening and all of the details.
First of all you want to know “Why me? Did I do something wrong?” I
thought I was this fit sixty-seven-year-old and suddenly I got knocked down
with this cancer. I had a whole myriad of questions but no one to ask.’

After months of trying to find a South African cancer support base,
Martin eventually joined a small support group at Groote Schuur. It was here
that he met Linda Greeff, co-founder of PLWC, and joined their
organisation. He volunteers as a buddy so that if anybody else goes through
rectal cancer, he can offer his story, experiences, tips and advice. He has
found it quite a humbling experience. ‘I don’t care how sick you are, you will
always find someone who is sicker and has got more challenging
circumstances,’ he says. It is the people that he has met on his cancer journey
that Martin says have been so inspirational, who have been through far more
than he has and are still smiling. He emphasises the importance of asking
questions and getting second opinions, especially because his experience at
Groote Schuur was profoundly positive. ‘I would much rather go there and
talk to those guys who are not in it for the money; they are in it for the
dedication and what I believe are the proper reasons – they want to make a
difference in people’s lives,’ he says.

In terms of exercise, Martin believes that being fit is the major reason why
he recovered from his illness so readily. His plan is to keep himself as fit as
possible. ‘They talk about cancer being in recession, but that means that you
are waiting for it to come back again. I’m not. But if it does, I’m going to be
ready for it.’

A NOTE ON DEALING WITH CANCER

As Martin’s case illustrates, it is crucial to gain a complete understanding of
your specific type of cancer once diagnosed. It can also be very beneficial to
get a second opinion. Ensure that you feel comfortable with your doctor, as
well as understand what he or she is telling you. On top of understanding
your symptoms, type of cancer and available treatments, Cancer Research UK
suggests also asking your doctor questions like:

Why do I feel so sad and anxious all the time?
I feel as if I have lost control over my life, what can I do?
Is my cancer or treatment causing these feelings?
How can I make myself feel better?
Who can I talk to about how I feel?
Are there any medicines that can help with depression?
What are the side effects of these drugs?
How do I talk to my children about how I feel?
Do other people with cancer feel like this?
How long am I going to feel like this?
What can I do to help myself get through these feelings?
Will seeing a counsellor or psychiatrist help me?

Organisations like PLWC offer a great service by facilitating relationships
with other patients, referring you to dietitians and counsellors, and assisting
with resources that offer information on diet, nutrition, treatment and more.

PLWC can also put you in touch with doctors and specialists if needed. Most
importantly, a support group like this reminds you that you are not alone.

PLWC’s Cancer Buddies programme is not only wonderful for the
support it gives cancer patients, but is also an excellent way for patients,
survivors and their families to give back. We have seen how taking control of
diet can give back power to a patient and their family; involvement in
PLWC’s various projects is another way to take action, giving survivors,
patients and their families an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and actively
fight cancer.

Another lesson from Martin’s story is that if you experience any odd
symptoms, it is crucial to consult your doctor immediately. ‘Early diagnosis
of cancer is very important, because cancer that is diagnosed in an early stage
can be treated more effectively and also limits the possibility of metastases
developing,’ says Greeff. ‘Go for regular screening and make yourself aware
of the early warning signs of cancer.’ Useful screening recommendations
include regular prostate exams for men and pap smears for women. Men
should self-examine their testes monthly and those over the age of fifty should
have a colonoscopy every five years. Women should self-examine their breasts
monthly and go for a mammogram every second year after the age of fifty.