The Day the Earth Shook

by Ron Villa

“On Wednesday morning, February 28, 2001, I was at Swedish Hospital for my colonoscopy.  At the completion of the colonoscopy procedure, ‘the earth shook’ just as the scope was being removed from my body…

‘The Nisqually Earthquake’. What a spectacular way to begin my colon cancer journey!

Dr. Daniel Froese briefed me that he would call me on Friday with the results of the biopsy of the removed polyps. On Thursday morning at 7:00 am my phone rang and it was Dr. Froese. He said that I had colon cancer.  He told me that I needed to have surgery ASAP. On Saturday I was admitted to Swedish Hospital for colon resection surgery and was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. I was a patient at Swedish for 5 days.

With that diagnosis, I told myself that I will do everything necessary to conquer this disease and be a survivor. I was ready to fight for my future!

I decided to do not only regular chemotherapy treatment but also alternative treatment… naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, spirituality, meditation and a support group.

I found Gilda’s Club Seattle (now Cancer Pathways) through Seattle Cancer Treatment and Wellness Center, where I did 6 months of aggressive chemotherapy with Dr. Ben Chue.

I was very happy to have Gilda’s Club be part of my healing team.

I was familiar with cancer support groups because my sister, who had cancer, attended the Santa Monica Wellness Community in Los Angeles in the 1980’s.  She was a client there at the same time with Gilda Radner. Unfortunately, my sister passed a few months before Gilda’s passing.

20 years of being a Stage 3 Colorectal Cancer Survivor is an important accomplishment for me because of the aggressive treatment was very hard physically and emotionally. Halfway through the treatment, I wanted to give up and let the cancer take control of my body but my husband, Jack, encouraged me to fight on because the treatment was ‘temporary’ and the goal was to have a fruitful and meaningful life together to enjoy.  Not only Jack, family and friends encouraged me to fight, but also Gilda’s Club support group with Sally Benson helped me emotionally to continue on.

My weekly meeting with Sally and other cancer people, showed me that I was not alone or that I was the only person with cancer. I learned a lot from the group on how to cope with different challenges during treatment.

Gilda’s Club not only helped me get a 2nd chance at life but also The Club helps thousands of other cancer people cope with their ‘temporary’ lifestyle. Gilda’s Club gives many people so much nourishment for mind and body.

My current life has been great other than for the pandemic. Jack and I will be celebrating our 45 years together on April 1 (married for 8 years).  I am still with United Airlines as a Flight Attendant celebrating 49 years on March 8… and I’ll be 73 years young on April 28.

Life is GOOD after ‘The Day the Earth Shook.'”

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Ron.