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It¡¯s difficult to say that someone is ¡°the best¡± at something, especially when it comes to sports. How do you determine the No. 1 golfer? Since it¡¯s based on performance, it might be one person this week, and a different one the next.

But when it comes to cancer treatment, I think there¡¯s a clear leader: MD Anderson. I¡¯d always heard it was the No. 1 cancer treatment center in the world. But I don¡¯t think I really understood what that meant until I was diagnosed with stage IV salivary gland cancer in August 2015.

My salivary gland cancer diagnosis

I discovered I had cancer after going to my dermatologist about a little bump on my neck. It was just below my left ear, and I thought it was a swollen lymph node caused by a sinus infection.

But antibiotics didn¡¯t shrink it, and my dermatologist didn¡¯t like the look of it, so he sent me to a local head and neck specialist. That doctor ordered an MRI, which revealed a two-inch tumor on my parotid gland. It was wrapped around a major nerve that controls the facial muscles. I had stage IV mucoepidermoid carcinoma, a very rare type of salivary gland cancer.

How I came to MD Anderson

I was beyond fear when I got that news. A quick internet search showed the survival rates for my type of cancer were staggeringly bad. And mine was far enough advanced that even my specialist said I needed to go to a bigger cancer center for proper treatment. He referred me to a facility in Chicago, where I grew up. I had surgery there to remove the tumor and some nearby lymph nodes.

The procedure was complex, and I knew it might not be possible to get all the cancer out. So I asked my surgeon to focus more on preserving my sensory functions than on removing the cancer completely. As a person who watches other people play golf and talks about it on TV for a living, it¡¯s pretty critical for me to be able to speak and hear.

The surgeon did a great job. But he said it was like trying to remove a meatball from the bottom of a bowl of spaghetti, without damaging any of the noodles. Some remnants of the cancer had almost certainly been left behind. He said I needed proton therapy to kill it. Unfortunately, his facility didn¡¯t offer that treatment. So, I went to the MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center.

Why I decided to have proton therapy

At MD Anderson, I met first with oncologist , radiation oncologist and surgeon to discuss my options. They said that chemotherapy may or may not be effective against my cancer, so I didn¡¯t pursue that. Radiation therapy might¡¯ve worked, too, but it may have prevented me from chewing my food normally, much less talking on live TV.

We all agreed that proton therapy was the best option. I had 31 treatments over a six-week period. I haven¡¯t had any problems with eating, speaking or swallowing since. And my dry mouth issues are so minor, I¡¯m almost embarrassed to mention them.

Why I¡¯m proud to be a part of the MD Anderson team

Treating cancer is a lot like playing golf, in that there are two stages to it: the planning and the execution. But whereas golf is an individual sport, cancer requires a team. Once I saw how good my MD Anderson team was at planning my treatment, I knew that their execution was going to be equally as good. So, it¡¯s no surprise that the care I received was second to none.

I¡¯m now approaching my third anniversary of being cancer-free. And not a day goes by that I don't think about that. But every day is an anniversary for me. Just getting up in the morning and realizing the second chance I¡¯ve been given makes me appreciate life all the more.

I¡¯m convinced the reason I¡¯m still here is because of MD Anderson¡¯s team approach. Seeing first-hand how well its doctors work together gives me a sense of pride ¡ª not just to be a cancer survivor, but to be a part of the team that¡¯s Making Cancer History?.

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