On June 3, Bayhealth celebrates National Cancer Survivors Day by saluting the courage of cancer survivors and spreading the message of hope to cancer patients and their families.
“Advances in chemotherapy and radiation therapy have combined with other cutting edge technology to brighten the outlook for cancer patients. Far more people are beating cancer and continuing on to meaningful and productive lives,” said Donna Stinson, the Administrative Director of Operations for the Bayhealth Oncology Service Line.
That’s a sentiment echoed by Michele Munday, a 38-year-old Felton resident who was diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer in 2009. Munday received a double mastectomy performed by Bayhealth Surgeon Wendy Newell, M.D. and now, more than three years later, Munday remains cancer free and is living life to the fullest.
“I’m active, I’m back to work and I’ve even gone back to school. I’m an example of how you can overcome a cancer diagnosis,” said Munday.
Another example is Clayton resident Phil Feliceangeli.
A long-time WDOV-WDSD Radio newscaster, the 57-year-old Feliceangeli is on the road to conquering colon and liver cancer in less than one year. It was during a routine colonoscopy in September of 2011 that a cancerous tumor was found in Feliceangeli’s descending colon. Feliceangeli received cancer surgery in which the tumor and three inches of his colon were cut away. But, a post-operative CT-scan showed two small spots on Feliceangeli’s liver that were later biopsied and tested positive for cancer. Under the care of Bayhealth Oncologist Rishi Sawhney, M.D., Feliceangeli received chemotherapy which melted away the cancerous growths on his liver within a few months. Today, Phil Feliceangeli remains cancer free.
“I feel good. I feel normal. I realize now that cancer is not the death sentence it might have once been. (Bayhealth doctors) gave me hope that things would turn out all right and, in fact, they have,” said Feliceangeli.