Preventing Cancer from Stealing Christmas
- A man known for portraying Santa Claus was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after he presented symptoms of jaundice. He underwent chemotherapy and pancreatoduodenectomy or the Whipple procedure. According to the National Institute of Health, this surgery is very complex, but its main objective is to remove tumors from the pancreas.
- Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It is more challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include weight gain, back pain, and jaundice.
- Jaundice causes the skin and eyes to appear yellow because of a buildup of bilirubin. It can also cause itchiness, dark urine, and light-colored stools.
- Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.
- Genetic testing can help you understand your cancer risk. It’s beneficial if you have a family history of cancer or are already diagnosed with cancer. Genetic testing of cancer tumors can help doctors better understand how the tumor functions and the best treatment option for it.
Jonathan Byrd, 65, better known as "Santa Claus" to families in north Georgia with his naturally long white beard, entered this holiday season with an added bit of gratitude after a rough couple of years due to an unsuspected cancer diagnosis. “I always thought it would be fun to be a real bearded Santa Claus…It feels like something that I’m supposed to do,” Byrd
told WAGA News.
However, Byrd’s calling in life was put on hold after his wife noticed discoloration in his skin. “My wife looked at me and said, ‘You look yellow,” which turned out to be jaundice. Jaundice causes the skin and eyes to appear yellow, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
explains , because of a buildup of bilirubin. “Bilirubin builds up when there’s something, like a pancreatic tumor, blocking the liver from releasing the bile in a process called obstructive jaundice,” PanCAN adds. Jaundice can cause itchiness, dark urine, and light-colored stools, as Byrd experienced. When the father of three went to see his doctor, tests revealed he had pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer begins in the pancreas and is known as the “silent disease.” Symptoms of the disease rarely show up until it has advanced and metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body. Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on. The National Cancer Institute
identifies pancreatic cancer symptoms to include:
- Dark urine
- Pain in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
- Light-colored stools
- Loss of appetite and fatigue
Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. As Byrd prepared for a year of treatment, he wrestled with the thought of stepping away from portraying Santa Claus. “It was a very long, dry holiday…A lot of the things that I had grown to enjoy weren’t happening. I didn’t do the tree lighting, and I didn’t do the cookies with Santa,” he said. The retired plumber spent most of last year undergoing treatment, which included 12 rounds of chemotherapy. He also underwent a 14-hour surgery called a pancreatoduodenectomy or the Whipple procedure.
According to the National Institute of Health, this surgery is very complex, but its main objective is to remove tumors from the pancreas. “They opened me from right below my sternum down to below my belly button,” Byrd described. RELATED:
Reality Star Brandi Glanville's 'Best Friend' Mia Hasche is Recovering After Extensive Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer; What Is The Whipple Procedure? Although Byrd’s treatment spanned several months, it proved successful. “All of my scans since that surgery in April of 2022 have been absolutely clean,” he said. Now, with his health restored, Byrd got to reignite the Christmas spark that never fully extinguished inside him. This year, he’s back to portraying Santa Claus, adding more Christmas cheer to everyone fortunate enough to cross his path.
Resilient Pancreatic Cancer Journeys
Without Adequate Pancreatic Screening, What Can People Do?
Genetic testing can help you understand your cancer risk. It’s beneficial if you have a family history of cancer or are already diagnosed with cancer. Genetic testing of cancer tumors can help doctors better understand how the tumor functions and the best treatment option for it. People with a family history of pancreatic cancer from a close relative fall into the high-risk category and should discuss screening options with their doctor. If you have inherited cancer syndrome or genetic cancer syndrome, then you are also at high risk. Some tests can be performed if you are at high risk, and they are an endoscopic ultrasound or an MRI scan.
WATCH: Understanding genetic testing. “If somebody in your family is found to have a genetic predisposition to cancer, whether it be breast cancer or any other type of cancer, the first step is to start testing relatives most closely related to you,”
Rachel Webster , a genetic counselor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet. “Those relatives might be brothers, sisters, parents, children. Those first-degree relatives are the ones that are at the highest probability of having that same genetic predisposition,” Webster adds. Genetic counselors can help you through the process, akin to a simple blood test or a saliva sample.
Cancer Around the Holidays
There may not be an appropriate time to receive a cancer diagnosis, but around the holidays can be exceptionally challenging. Holiday stress can exacerbate cancer-related stress. This time of year can spark feelings of loneliness or anxiety. Cancer patients undergo an extreme amount of stress, and there are several common things cancer patients can experience, such as
anxiety , depression, financial toxicity, social isolation, and sometimes even PTSD, Dr. Shelly Tworoger, a researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview.
If you are a vital part of a cancer patient’s support system, perhaps consider some thoughtful holiday gift ideas to help make this time of year easier. 1. Meal Subscription - Prepared meals arriving at the door can be a boon to those who don’t feel well enough to cook. 2. Unscented Bath Salts - Some people in treatment are especially sensitive to smells, so make sure that when you purchase a gift meant to relax, it doesn’t contain strong scents. 3. Back Massager - Studies show that massage may reduce pain, fatigue, nausea, anxiety, and depression. 4. Portable Projector - These small devices are great for watching streamed content on walls and ceilings — pretty much anywhere, which makes it incredibly convenient for people in bed or who have found that one weird nook in the house they feel most comfortable in. 5. Headwraps and Headbands - Yes, there’s no shortage of headwear for people going through chemo. 6. Socks - There’s a reason socks appear on holiday lists: Clothes that keep people warm are perfect gifts for cancer survivors at home or in the hospital. 7. Overbed Computer Desk - There are plenty of affordable over-the-bed table options for those who need to relax or recover. 8. Robo Vacuum - Cleaning floors can be taxing for people in treatment, and robo-vacuums can do the work for them. 9. Chest Port Clothing - If you’re going for the practical, these shirts and hoodies are great for cancer patients receiving chemo with a port — a small, implantable reservoir with a tube that attaches to a vein for chemotherapy medications. 10. Chest Port Pillow - Seatbelts can make traveling uncomfortable and sometimes painful for those with a port. 11. Breast surgery pillow - Cancer survivors who have had breast surgery, whether it be a mastectomy or reconstructive, can toss and turn, finding the most comfortable way to sleep.
Questions for Your Doctor
If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.
- What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
- Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas? If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
- What is my prognosis?
- What are my treatment options?
- What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
- Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?
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