Colonoscopy campaign saved New Sweden man’s life

    We’ve all seen them, the vast assortment of ads on television. Some touting the latest exercise trend; a famous athlete promoting a new car; rock stars with new clothing lines and so on.
    Ads pertaining to your health are significant but how often do we act after seeing them? One health ad in particular, which aired late in January, potentially saved the life of an Aroostook County man.
    Jim Alward and his fiancée, Dee Dee Cyr, were at home on a chilly winter night watching television when an ad encouraging folks to schedule a routine colonoscopy came on. “After the ad I encouraged Jim to schedule an appointment to get checked, and not to wait till his 50th birthday. We talked about it a great deal,” said Dee Dee. With some hesitation on his part and positive encouragement from Dee Dee, Jim scheduled his appointment.
Contributed photo
LIFE-CHANGING PUMP — Dr. Vatsala Kirtani, MD, far right, provider at Aroostook Cancer Care (ACC) and Brenda Baker, manager, ACC, demonstrated the simplicity of the new pumps to Jason Parent, TAMC’s, director of advancement, and Lisa Miles, general manager for Townsquare Media in Presque Isle. Jim Alward of New Sweden, seated, shared how much easier his life is with the new pumps and thanked them for their and the surrounding communities efforts to support local cancer treatment through the Rally on the Roof fundraiser. 
    “Going in wasn’t so bad and the procedure itself went well,” says Jim. “The procedure was over and I was preparing to leave when the doctor came in to speak with us.”
    The news the doctor delivered was not what they had expected. “I expected my procedure to be a ‘right in, right out’,” recalls Jim. “I wasn’t even expecting to see the doctor once we were done.”
    The doctor told Jim and Dee Dee they found a tumor in Jim’s colon and recommended that it be removed. “We scheduled the surgery as suggested which led to nine and a half inches of my colon and the tumor to be removed,” said Jim. “We had talked about cancer and what that meant to me and my family, but to me I wasn’t one of those people who had cancer; I mean I had no symptoms.”
    Cancer is not prejudiced and knows no borders and to hear those words … “you have cancer” is life altering. It was a short time after the surgery when the doctor contacted Jim.
    “The moment when the doctor said to me ‘you have cancer,’ I was shocked. It was numbing, almost like grabbing onto an electric fence,” Jim recalls. “I hung up the phone and just stood there. I did work the rest of the day, but in a mindless/numbing mindset.”
    Jim’s cancer was at a stage three. Spooked by the news, Jim’s family immediately went into action scheduling colonoscopies for themselves.
    As the next to the youngest in his family he and his siblings knew age was not a factor. The realization of walking around with this cancer and no symptoms added to the roller coaster of emotions Jim and Dee Dee would experience in the coming months, and the “what ifs” that continue today. “There is that constant worry of what if it comes back,” says the couple glancing at each other. “We have a lot to be thankful for and look forward to the future in our new home and upcoming nuptials,” says Dee Dee.
    For Jim and Dee Dee and for others having cancer or knowing someone affected by the horrible disease another level of awareness and realization comes to the fore front about the impact it can have on one’s family and workplace.
    “People get passionate about a cause,” said Lisa Miles, general manager for Townsquare Media. That proved true this spring when TAMC and Townsquare Media partnered on the first ever, Rally on the Roof on May 17, to benefit Aroostook Cancer Care (ACC) and Relay for Life.
    Camping out on the roof above the Giberson Day Surgery Unit for the full 24-hours were Jason Parent, director of advancement for TAMC and Lisa. Prior to the chilly night’s rest, Jason and Lisa were joined on the roof throughout the day by “detainees” from throughout central Aroostook. Sent to the roof by the TAMC judge, each detainee was responsible for raising their bail by calling friends and family to work their way off.
    “As is typically the case, the Aroostook County community came through to help their friends and neighbors in need,” said Lisa.
    “Aroostook Cancer Care is a vitally important service TAMC provides to the region. Without it, area residents would have to travel to Bangor to get the same comprehensive care,” said Jason. “Through the funds raised by the ‘Rally on the Roof’ TAMC will be able to purchase needed equipment and items to help us provide even better care and comfort our patients at a very vulnerable time.”
    Lisa and Jason came together recently to see firsthand the impact the Rally had on the way treatment is delivered to patients once they leave ACC and to meet with Jim. Since April, Jim has been receiving his bi-weekly treatments at TAMC’s ACC.
    “I am here every other Wednesday for about three hours,” Jim says. “Once I leave here (ACC), my treatment continues ‘on the go’ for another 48 hours at home or work with the new bubble pump.”
    Up until just recently Jim would have medication administered by a pump the size of a brick (and weighing almost as much) that was suspended around his waist like an anchor. “The old pump was just awful,” says Jim. “It was noisy, bulky, heavy, and cumbersome — I stayed home because I didn’t want folks see the old pump and ask questions.”
    Patients were provided with a plastic box that contained a key and a spare battery which they needed to carry with them at all times with the older pump. Now, thanks to the support by funds raised during Rally on the Roof, patients have what they call a bubble pump.
    “The new pump, the size of a baseball, can be carried under my shirt in this neat little pouch or placed in my shirt pocket,” Jim proudly shared. “The new pump and pouch are a huge improvement as the other design was outdated and it was time for the new technology.” With funding support from the Rally, pouches are provided to the patient for ease in carrying the new pump. “There are no worries with this new pump. I wish everyone could see how great this new technology is-what they did up on that roof was wonderful. Having people support what we are going through here medically is heartwarming; all I can say is thank you.”
    During the interview, Jim said he used to look forward to counting the number of treatments remaining on both hands, then one hand, and now it’s down to two fingers. “Seeing a new day makes me happy,” Jim says with a smile on his face. “Rainy days used to bother me, heck I never looked forward to winter until now; I love each new day. To me, it’s not just another day.”