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Kirk Williams was in the middle of repainting his bathroom when he noticed he had difficulty swallowing, and scheduled an appointment with his primary care provider who suggested he get a scope done. The procedure proved to be difficult, due to a blockage that turned out to be a tumor in his esophagus.
“From that one visit, they got in touch with radiation and chemo teams at MercyOne North Iowa Cancer Center,” says Kirk. “At the time, I didn't know how long the tumor had been there, but after running some tests, they determined I had stage 3 esophageal cancer.”
After his diagnosis, Kirk met with Viet H. Le, MD, FACS, surgical oncologist at MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center.
“Esophageal cancer can be difficult to treat, especially in advanced stages. In all cases, about 20% of patients survive at least five years after diagnosis,” says Dr. Le. “Kirk’s MercyOne care team worked to find the right type of chemotherapy and radiation to fit his case. Kirk felt weak, but was determined to get the prescribed esophagectomy done to have his cancer removed.”
“I started out at 220 pounds, and by the time it was all set and done, I weighed 130 pounds,” says Kirk. “The whole process of fighting cancer was mentally and emotionally one of the strongest battles I've ever had.”
Leading up to his procedure, Kirk had many concerns due to his underlying medical conditions, which put him at higher risk during surgery.
“I was determined to do my part and try to stay as healthy as I could,” says Kirk. “I just kept telling myself ‘I’ve got too much to live for.’ Before going into the surgery, I turned to my wife and told her ‘I’ll see you in a little bit.’ At that point, I had decided it's up to Dr. Le and the MercyOne Richard Deming Cancer Center team to do what they do best.”
Kirk underwent a successful robotic-assisted, minimally invasive esophagogastrectomy, removing the tumor and nearby lymph nodes. Kirk healed very quickly after his minimally invasive surgery. After three months, Kirk received a phone call from Dr. Le, who announced he was cancer-free.
“Everyone was so surprised how quickly I was healing, but I waited and waited to hear from Dr. Le himself whether I was cleared or not,” says Kirk. “When I got the news, I asked Dr. Le, ‘What do I do now with my life?’ He told me to just live my best life.”
Kirk is now working on a new healthy way of living. He is excited to get back to his favorite activities such as woodworking and finally getting to finish painting the bathroom; however, what he is looking forward to most is counseling.
“When you go through something so emotionally and physically intense, it becomes hard to bounce back,” says Kirk. “Even after being told I was cancer-free, I still struggled to be excited for the great news. I have a second chance at life. I should live it right.”
Kirk is living his best life through bettering his mental health and spending time with those around him who helped him through his journey. The mental strength he endured through his journey to keep pushing and care from the cancer team at MercyOne is what has brought him to where he is now.
