Making informed choices about our personal health care can often feel overwhelming, confusing or even frightening. But for Chuck Joynt, a patient of the London Regional Cancer Program (LRCP)* at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), these decisions came easy thanks to the expert and empathetic physicians and staff who helped him along his journey to recovery.
Over the past decade, a prostate condition required Chuck to undergo constant observation and follow-up with specialist, Dr. Patrick Luke to monitor and maintain his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. By 2021, however, these levels began to increase regularly. To keep the condition at bay, he was told his options were limited to ongoing monitoring, surgery or radiation treatment.
Despite opting to monitor his condition further given some initial trepidation about radiation, Chuck agreed to a consultation at LHSC to better understand this option.
“I vividly recall the day my wife and I arrived at the London Regional Cancer Program,” Chuck shares. “We were greeted by the friendliest staff before being introduced to Dr. Sondos Zayed. She carefully explained how the radiation treatments worked and everything involved.”
Dr. Zayed outlined two options, one involving twenty treatments over several weeks, and the other involving five treatments over five consecutive days, using pre-placed markers to more accurately direct the radiation to the affected area. To Chuck’s relief, they were also provided with a thorough explanation of the side effects and how best to manage these afterwards.
“We may have felt overwhelmed at first, but the way Dr. Zayed walked us through these options was professional, clear and left us with very few questions. One of the only things we wanted to know was how successful radiation treatments were known to be. When she said the success rate was over 80 per cent, we were convinced.”
Thanks to this initial visit, Chuck was confident in his decision to undergo the five-day treatment option with radiation oncologist, Dr. Glenn Bauman.
“Other than the placing of the markers, the process was not uncomfortable. The radiation was administered exactly as the physicians had described. Even the side-effects, which thankfully were relatively minor, were no surprise to me because of the thorough preparations I had gone through. I knew exactly what to expect, making me even more confident in the outcome.”
Chuck’s hopes were confirmed as he returned to LHSC a few months later for a follow-up appointment. A PSA test showed his levels were indeed dropping, further justifying the trust he had placed in the staff and physicians at LRCP.
“Ever since these radiation treatments, a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders,” Chuck says with relief. “I am sincerely grateful to all of the exceptional staff at LRCP. Not only have they made my recovery possible, but their expertise and commitment empowered me to make the best possible decisions for my health.”
Have a memorable health care story at LHSC? We want to hear from you! If you have a wellness journey you’d like to share, please contact LHSF’s marketing team at LHSFComm@lhsc.on.ca.
* Renamed the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre in 2024