Josh Cantwell’s Story Of Cancer Survival In Cleveland Magazine

March 5, 2013 - PRLog -- The March, 2013 issue of Cleveland Magazine was just released, and in it you will be able to read about Josh Cantwell’s amazing story of pancreatic cancer survival and how staying positive helped him and his family through an extremely difficult journey. The article, "Best Doctors 2013: Standing Strong," features 10 cancer survivors who were helped by some of the best doctors in Cleveland.

In the fall of 2011, Josh was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after a very large mass was discovered in his abdomen. Josh discovered the growth a couple of months earlier, but made the decision to wait because his wife was experiencing a difficult pregnancy, and their unborn son had a large growth on his neck that had everyone, including the doctors, concerned. Josh’s devastating diagnosis came just months after his son was delivered via an emergency C-section, and weeks after his infant son had emergency surgery to remove a large, bulging cyst and half his thyroid in his neck. Josh’s diagnosis was the last thing the Cantwell family needed to face, but it was their reality.

Josh underwent surgery to remove the large mass in November, 2011. As Josh tells it,

My wife, Lisa Marie, was sitting in a quiet room on a conference call with my surgeon who had just stepped out of surgery. My dad was next to her taking notes. “Lisa, the cancer was as big as a basketball. This was one of the most complicated surgeries I have ever done. However, I want you to know we got it all out,” Dr. Walsh explained to my wife.

“’I had to take out Josh’s entire stomach, his gall bladder, his spleen, 75% of his pancreas, and 25% of his liver. Lisa, he lost a lot of blood.  We had to take an artery out of his leg and put it into his liver. Josh is going to be in a lot of pain. But, I want you to know we got it all out; that is what is most important. Right now he is in ICU on a breathing tube. He probably will not wake up until tomorrow.’ The surgery was 9 hours long and my surgeon was exhausted. Dr. Walsh would later show us the bruises on his hands from removing my basketball-sized mass of cancer.”

Read more about Josh’s story of survival and personal growth at visit http://www.strategicrealestatecoach.com/2012/01/25/my-personal-battle-with-pancreatic-cancer-part-1/ and http://www.strategicrealestatecoach.com/2012/01/27/my-fight-with-pancreatic-cancer-part-2-lesson-1/.

Check it the article in Cleveland Magazine featuring Josh at http://clevelandmagazine.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E73ABD6180B44874871A91F6BA5C249C&nm=Article+Archives&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=1578600D80804596A222593669321019&tier=4&id=A69D4E1BE4FF4ECDB3722DC897449935.