By Susan Edelman
Reading Eagle Correspondent

In the summer of 2004, Exeter Township resident Bob Devlin was shaving and found a lump on his neck. He thought it was a cyst or a swollen gland and didn’t think anything of it. His wife Linda suggested if the lump was still there in a week he should get it checked by a doctor, which he did. On August 17th of that year, Devlin, just 48 at the time, was diagnosed with head and neck cancer.
            Luckily, it turns out his tumor was probably not secondary to a primary tumor hidden somewhere else in his body, and so he was able to avoid chemotherapy. He was required to undergo a radical neck dissection, a surgery to remove the tumor as well as nearby tissues and lymph nodes including one saliva gland and muscle tissue. This surgery was followed, after a recovery period of about six weeks, by daily radiation therapy, which lasted for seven weeks. Each radiation treatment was preceded by the administration of a drug called amiphostine, which research indicates is effective against Devlin’s cancer type.
            Not so luckily, the surgery, radiation and drug treatments took their toll. Devlin had to deal with the loss of his voice for a month, reduced muscle strength in his arm, extreme nausea associated with the amiphostine, and exhaustion due to the radiation among other things. He lost 30 pounds.
            “I almost had to learn how to eat again,” said Devlin, who explained most of his meals were prepared using a blender. “I had to learn to swallow again.”
            About six or eight months into the ordeal, Devlin’s doctor indicated the odds were very much in his favor. While many patients with this cancer were smokers or heavy drinkers, Devlin had been neither of these. His history was very good, and his treatment was effective.
            “His attitude was fabulous,” said Linda. “I don’t know if I could handle things the way he did.”
            Just as he was returning to normal, feeling better and gaining weight, Devlin visited his doctor for a routine check-up to see how things were going. The doctor ordered a blood test, but Linda noticed a PSA test (a test to screen for prostate cancer) was not included. He was 49 years old, and screening for prostate cancer is typically recommended at 50.
            “I said to the doctor, why don’t we just throw a PSA test in there?” said Linda.
            The test came back high, an indicator for cancer. As a precaution, his doctor sent him for a biopsy, which came back positive. It was October of 2005, just over a year after his first cancer diagnosis, and Devlin was diagnosed with prostate cancer unrelated to his head and neck cancer. In January of 2006, Devlin underwent surgery to remove the prostate gland. He required no further treatment.
            While the experience was nothing Devlin would wish for anyone else, he said his care for both cancers at Philadelphia’s Fox Chase Cancer Center made his treatment bearable. Devlin said the fact that Fox Chase is a research hospital gave him confidence he was receiving state-of-the-art care.
            “Fox Chase has a whole unit just dedicated to head and neck cancer,” said Linda. “It was important to us that this was a research hospital relatively close by. There are about 400 clinical trials going on at any one time.”
            Since 2006, the Devlins have been active raising money for The Devlin Fund for the benefit of Fox Chase Cancer Center research. To date, the Devlins raised over $26,000 selling Sweet Streets desserts from refrigerated trucks in the Philadelphia area and organizing a golf event. They have been able to donate 100% of their funds, because costs are entirely underwritten. Devlin said for the golf event, he is able to get all the prizes, food, beer, and silent auction items donated. He has no fear asking area businesses and friends for support.
            “After all I’ve been through, all they can say is no,” he said.
            The Devlins will hold their second annual golf tournament at Arrowhead Golf Course in Douglassville on August 9, 2008. For more information on the tournament or The Devlin Fund, visit http://www.devlinfund.org. To learn more about Devlin’s experience at Fox Chase Cancer Center, visit http://www.fccc.edu/stories/devlin.html.
In addition to supporting the fund, Devlin would like to encourage everyone to visit their doctors if they suspect cancer.
            “If there’s something on your body that shouldn’t be there, get it checked right away,” said Devlin.
Contact correspondent Susan Edelman at lifestyle@readingeagle.com.

Copyright 2008 The Devlin Fund for Cancer Research
511 E. Neversink Road
Reading, PA  19606

Dobson Web Design