Finding Strength Through Community: One Man’s Journey with Stage IV Cancer

In a heartfelt episode of The C Word: Community Not Cancer, host Dr. Ashan Basha sat down with Glenn, a patient whose journey through prostate and lung cancer reveals the power of resilience, faith, and community support. Glenn, a patient of Dr. Hamdan at the local cancer center, opened up about the road from diagnosis to remission—and the human connections that kept him going.

A Journey That Began in 2016

Glenn’s cancer story began nearly a decade ago when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016. He underwent a prostatectomy at the University of Chicago and lived several years cancer-free—until unexpected back pain in September 2022 changed everything.

“I woke up with an incredible backache,” Glenn recalled. “I thought it was just a pulled muscle or something minor. But after weeks of pain and an x-ray, they found a compression fracture in my L3 vertebra.”

It wasn’t long before doctors discovered the root of the issue: a tumor had replaced a spinal disc. Glenn remembered being “absolutely floored” when he was told that the cause could be prostate cancer. “I went home at 1:30 in the morning and told my son-in-law, ‘If this is prostate cancer, I’m a dead man.’”

New Diagnosis, New Battle

After emergency surgery to decompress his spine and fuse the vertebrae, the pathology report came back: not prostate cancer, but stage IV lung cancer that had spread to Glenn’s spine and femur.

“That news was devastating,” Glenn said. “I remember them saying it might be prostate cancer again, and I insisted it couldn’t be—I’d had my PSA checked regularly. But when it came back lung cancer, I was shocked.”

Faced with a second cancer diagnosis, Glenn turned to the local cancer center for help. Before meeting his care team, he feared the worst. “I remember telling my brother, ‘I just want five years. If I get five years, I’ll be ecstatic.’ But I was anxious. I’m the type who just wants to know—even if it’s bad—so I can move forward.”

A Plan, a Team, and Hope

Meeting Dr. Hamdan, his oncologist, was a turning point. “I’ll never forget that first appointment,” Glenn said. “Dr. Hamdan looked at me and said, ‘This is not the end of the world. We’ll do a little chemo, a little radiation, a little immunotherapy.’ And I thought, ‘Okay. I know where I’m going now.’”

But pain soon overwhelmed him again, sending him back to bed, barely able to move. During a particularly difficult day, Glenn broke down during a consultation. “I was in so much pain. I remember screaming, ‘You people have to help me!’ Dr. Hamdan heard me and walked in. He started me on immunotherapy that same day.”

That encounter led to another round of radiation, and—despite Glenn’s initial resistance—a prophylactic surgery to stabilize his femur. Slowly, the pain began to subside.

Power of Purpose

As his treatment progressed, Glenn leaned heavily on the support of his family. “My kids are the reason I’m here,” he said. “In those early weeks, when all I could think about was how much I wanted to be with them, they were the ones who got me through.”

In April 2024, Glenn received some long-awaited good news: his cancer was in remission. “I haven’t heard the word ‘cure,’” he clarified, “but my last PET scan showed no metastatic activity. I had some fluid in my lung, but it turned out to be related to inflammation, not cancer.”

For Glenn, understanding the difference between cure and remission allowed him to move forward. “To live in constant fear isn’t how I want to approach life. Knowing I’m in remission—and that it’s treatable, not curable—lets me live again.”

Opening Up to a Spiritual Awakening

Cancer didn’t just affect Glenn’s body; it reshaped his soul. “Before all this, I wasn’t really spiritual,” he said. “But one day, my dentist gave me a little cross. He told me, ‘This might look small, but it’s powerful.’ I kept that cross in my pocket, and I gave one to my wife.”

That symbol of hope became part of his daily life—and even inspired him to help others. “I’ve given a couple away to people who needed it, and now I tell everyone I meet, ‘I’ll say a prayer for you.’ I wasn’t a believer before, but the power of prayer made me one.”

Strengthening Bonds and Spreading Hope

If Glenn’s illness tested him, it also deepened his most important relationships. “My relationship with my family was always good,” he said, “but it strengthened it even more. They rallied behind me in ways I’ll never forget.”

Asked if he ever felt like giving up, Glenn was honest: “Once or twice. Maybe more. But I knew sitting in a chair and feeling sorry for myself wasn’t going to help. If I wanted to make it through, I had to get up and fight. And that’s what I did.”

He offers this advice to others just beginning their cancer journey: “Do not give in. The day you give in is the day you lose. Stay positive, let people rally around you, and just keep going.”

Tapping Into a Community of Care

Glenn credits much of his recovery to the medical team in Bourbonnais. “I told Dr. Hamdan once, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere else. I love the people here.’ The care I’ve received—from the nurses to the front office—has been amazing. Everyone here has just been incredible.”

And Dr. Hamdan, in particular, earned Glenn’s trust. “At one point, he said, ‘You have to trust me on this.’ And I told him, ‘You’ve kept me alive this long.’ He replied, ‘I haven’t kept you alive—God has.’ And I said, ‘God did it through you.’”

Message to the Community

Glenn’s story isn’t just about cancer. It’s about what can grow from pain: purpose, connection, and unwavering gratitude. “If sharing my story helps one person keep fighting, it’s worth it.”

For more information on Riverside Cancer Institute, go to myrhc.net/cancer or call (815) 933-9660.