Master Sergeant Looks Forward to Life After Cancer

Filed under DoD News by on February 4, 2012 at 7:07 am {no comments}

By Randy Roughton
From www.airman.dodlive.mil     

Now that she has the biggest crisis of her life behind her, Master Sgt. Keri Whitehead’s ready to close the window that gave unprecedented public access to her fight against breast cancer.

Her hair is almost back to its normal shoulder length now, as is her physical stamina after the 30 radiation treatments and three main reconstructive surgeries she endured.

The 15-year Air Force veteran and1st Combat Camera Squadron’s combat photography flight chief at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., is looking forward to a new start with the new year.

“It actually hasn’t been that bad because I haven’t let it be that bad,” Whitehead said. “It’s been a learning experience for me. I’ve learned a lot about me as a person. I learned a lot about what I’m capable of, and I learned a lot about human nature, through the people I interact with who showed me they genuinely cared. I’ve learned I’m going to be all right by myself. I have my kid, I have my health now, and I have my career.

“I’m really happy to see 2012 because I won’t have nearly as many medical appointments. I’m actually getting back on track with all of my ancillary qualifications, so I’m back in action and can go back to being a regular master sergeant.”

“Keri’s War,” a series of images and interviews that documented Whitehead’s cancer fight, from diagnosis through reconstructive surgery, will feature the final installment later this month at www.keriswar.org. It will focus on reconstruction and wrapping up the series, said Master Sgt. J.T. Lock, who was a combat photographer in Whitehead’s squadron at the time she was diagnosed, and who approached her with the concept. Since Keri’s War first launched in October 2010, Whitehead has heard from other Airmen facing the same challenges she did.

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Life After Death: 45 Tumors Later

Filed under DoD News, Medical Monday by on December 19, 2011 at 7:30 am {no comments}

by Airman 1st Class Tom Brading, Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs
From www.charleston.af.mil

Master Sgt. Scott Kapanke displays some of the coins he has received throughout his Air Force career on December 8, Joint Base Charleston-Air Base, S.C. Kapanke was diagnosed with stage four cancer in 1995 and was medically retired while he went through treatment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Nicole Mickle)

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SC - For Master Sgt. Scott Kapanke, 437th Maintenance Squadron flight chief at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., cancer wasn’t a death sentence, no matter how unfavorable his odds were. To him, it was just another challenge to face.

In 1995, Kapanke was a 23-year-old, C-130 maintenance student at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., when doctors’ detected he had testicular cancer and it had spread throughout his body.

The cancer had reached Kapanke’s neck and although he didn’t know it at the time, one of the tumors was pressing against his nerves. This caused chronic pain in his arm.

Kapanke first thought he was suffering from a bad reaction to a flu shot. He attempted using pain relievers to cope with the agony in his arm.
After enduring constant torture from the physical suffering on a daily basis, Kapanke finally agreed to see a doctor. After initial testing, the doctors diagnoses was much more severe than a bad reaction to a flu shot.

The testicular cancer had metastasized into 45 tumors between his waist and neck.

Doctors wanted to medevac Kapanke immediately to Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland AFB, Texas. However, Kapanke refused to be flown.

“I wasn’t going to die overnight,” said Kapanke. “So, there was no reason to fly when I could easily drive. I didn’t want to leave my truck at my temporary duty assignment.”

Against doctor’s wishes, Kapanke drove himself to Wilford Hall where he remained for more than a year and underwent treatments to remove the tumors. The first treatments were multiple rounds of chemotherapy.

“Each session of chemo had little to no effect on the tumors,” said Kapanke. “The fourth round of chemo was the most potent dose and it did very little to help.”

Chemotherapy was no longer an option.

The once energetic and muscular Kapanke was reduced to a frail shell of his former self. He went from 206 lbs. to 130 in just a few weeks. After losing all of his hair, weight and confidence, Kapanke detached himself from the world and everyone he knew.
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Medical Monday: Marine Beats Cancer, Gains New Outlook

Filed under DoD News by on November 28, 2011 at 7:08 am {8 comments}

By Cpl. Katherine M. Solano, 2nd Marine Logistics Group
From www.marines.mil 

Cpl. Daniel Botero, a combat engineer with the Combat Logistics Battalion 1 Embedded Partnering Team. Botero will celebrate his 21st birthday in Afghanistan later this month after a recent bout with cancer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Katherine M. Solano)

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan  — At 18 years young, many men are thinking about their first year of college, their high-school sweetheart, their favorite sports team or even their impending adulthood and the responsibilities that come with it. For many, the furthest thing from their mind is a cancer diagnosis – for Cpl. Daniel Botero, it was a reality.The Colombia, South America, native decided that at 18, he was going to give back to the country that has, in his own words, given him hope and opportunities in life, by enlisting in the military.

With a four-year sacrifice on his shoulders, Botero had already done more than the majority of his peers.Fast forward through training and, just as he was about to begin his military occupational specialty classes to become a combat engineer, he was faced with a prospect that some adults cannot even fathom. He was diagnosed with cancer in February 2009.

Not only was he diagnosed with testicular cancer, but doctors told him it had spread. His liver, lungs and brain also had cancerous cells. A new Marine and a new adult, Botero now added new cancer patient to his life’s résumé, while putting his Marine Corps career on hold.

The new Marine began an aggressive course of chemotherapy. The treatment left him weak, without hair and unable to do simple tasks without tremendous effort.

After his first surgery, both he and his doctors weren’t sure if he would make it through a necessary second surgery. “I was so weak from the chemo, we didn’t even know if I would survive the anesthesia,” Botero said.

“I told them I needed a month to just rest, eat and try to gain some strength. My odds were still bad going into the second surgery.”

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Advocating for Year-round Mammography and Self Breast Exams

Filed under DoD News by on November 1, 2011 at 8:14 am {one comment}

By Nikki Levinson-Lustgarten, Breast Care Coordinator
Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Fla., Breast Care Center
From navymedicine.navylive.dodlive.mil

When a woman hears the words “breast cancer” her world narrows dramatically. Though not the leading cause of death in women, it is one that can dramatically affect her quality of life through her relationships with family and community. Treatments include removing both breasts (mastectomy) with immediate reconstruction, simple biopsy or lumpectomy (just removing the affected breast tissue).

According to the American Cancer Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this year over 200,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Of these, 40,000 will die from breast cancer and one percent of those diagnosed will be men. Interestingly, in the last five years the death rate has decreased even as the rate of diagnosis has remained steady. This is due in large part to the tremendous effort made over the last decade encouraging women to have annual mammograms.

I am a strong advocate of breast self exams (BSE) and mammography. Despite the controversy over when, who and how often mammograms are done, women continue to vote with their breasts and have one annually. And since cancer has been in your breast at least five to seven years before it can be identified on a mammogram, a monthly BSE is critical.

Some cancers are found on mammograms as tiny grains of salt or sand. Termed ductal carcinoma in situ (DClS) and often called pre-cancerous, this form of cancer has a greater than 95 percent cure rate and may be treated with simple surgery and radiation.

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Pink Kisses: Treatment 5 – Celebrating Life

Filed under DoD News by on October 28, 2011 at 7:17 am {no comments}

U.S. Air Force Capt. Candice Adams, 29, decided to give cancer a makeover after her October 25, 2010 breast cancer diagnosis. She attacked the disease by celebrating life, rather than simply surviving it.

The views expressed in this video do not reflect the views of the U.S. Air Force, Department of Defense or any other state or government agency.  The opinions in this multimedia package were solely created and edited by Candice Adams and Russ Scalf. For more information visit: www.kissestocancer.com.



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    The only African-American ace of World War II, and a former Tuskegee Airman, went on to have a career in the Air Force, as well as success in the business world.

    Lee A. Archer joined the Army in 1941 with high hopes of becoming a pilot, but was initially denied because of his race. When the Army’s policy changed about a year later, Archer was accepted to the training program for black aviators at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama.

    Archer is best known for a day in late 1944 when he was involved in a series of dogfights over German-occupied Hungary. Flying a P-51 Mustang fighter, Archer shot down three German fighters. He would go on to add two more German fighters to his credit to become the first and only African-American ace of the war.

    As a civilian, Archer enjoyed even greater success, serving as vice president for urban affairs with General Foods, as CEO of North Street Capital Corp. and chairman of Hudson Commercial Corp. He also served on the board of directors of Beatrice International Foods and the Institute for American Business.

    Read the rest of his story here.



  • Navy Lt. Aaron Lanzel is on a mission, his goal to join the U.S. Olympic track team this summer in London. Lt. Lanzel is working out daily at U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He trains daily in a couple of events, the 1500 and 3000 meter run. This is his second try at being a US Olympian, an active duty U.S. Naval officer, he’s hoping this time, that he can make the team and run for his country.


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    navyhistory:

    On 7 February 1800, USS Essex became the first U.S. Navy vessel to cross the Equator. This 1799 image of Essex was painted by E. Tuffnell, R.N. (Retired). NHHC Photograph Collection, NH 72804-KN.