|
Ed Kottke Ed Kottke and his wife recently moved to Hilton Head Island to enjoy their retirement near the ocean and the golf courses. In spring 2006, at age 56, Kottke wasn’t feeling well and went to his doctor. Blood tests revealed that his liver enzymes were elevated. After more tests, doctors found a cancerous tumor between his liver and pancreas. It was frightening news for the couple, especially since Kottke’s father had died of pancreatic cancer at the young age of 43. “I knew the horrors associated with pancreatic cancer. It’s a silent killer. I figured if it was my time, I would go. But if it wasn’t, I would do everything in my power to fight it,” said Kottke. He was willing to go anywhere in the country for treatment. He wanted the best doctors and services he could find. His doctor referred him to Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah. At first, Kottke was skeptical. However, after one visit to Memorial and one meeting with his surgeon, Christopher Senkowski, he knew he was in good hands. “When I went to Memorial and saw the size of the campus and started talking to the doctors and researching their patient outcomes, I knew this was where I needed to be,” said Kottke. Senkowski recommended an intense surgery called a Whipple procedure. It entails removing the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, a portion of the stomach, and other nearby tissues. Kottke spent eight days in the hospital recovering. It was a difficult procedure, and it was only the beginning of his treatment process. He also had to endure chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Throughout the treatment process, Kottke maintained a positive attitude and kept himself healthy and upbeat with regular exercise. Today, he’s cancer free and is back on the golf course, enjoying life. He would have gone anywhere to find the life-saving treatment he needed. Fortunately, some of the best care in the nation was right in his own backyard. You can help ensure our life-saving treatment services are available for generations to come by donating to the Memorial Health Foundation.
|
|
