Paul Zych

Colon Cancer Patient Stories

Paul Zych

Paul Zych considers himself a lucky man. In 1998, his older brother was diagnosed with a precancerous polyp on his colon. His doctor recommended that he call his family because they are at increased risk of getting colorectal cancer. When Paul hung up with his brother, he immediately scheduled a colonoscopy.

"Right away I thought to go to Fox Chase Cancer Center."

At the age of 73, Paul, who was spending retirement as a volunteer at his church, received the frightening news. He had colon cancer. "Right away I thought to go to Fox Chase Cancer Center. My son worked there at the time and I knew of their excellent reputation."

"Dr. Watson was terrific."

His wife, who is a retired nurse, agreed. They met with Dr. James Watson, a surgeon at Fox Chase who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, including those arising in the colon and rectum. Paul remembered, "Dr. Watson was terrific. His explanations of the diagnosis, treatment plan, and operation were very thorough, but at the same time easy for me and my family to understand."

Dr. Watson performed the surgery to remove the tumor and rebuild the colon utilizing the latest techniques. Paul's wife, Loretta, explained, "Most importantly, he made us feel comfortable with every treatment decision."

"The nurses couldn't have been better."

Following the surgery, Paul stayed in the hospital to recover. "The nurses couldn't have been better. They were so caring and always around when I needed them, day or night," explained Paul.

Paul took a break from volunteering at his church to focus on getting better. He was working as a groundskeeper at the time. Paul's next step was chemotherapy designed to attack any cancerous cells left behind.

"In the beginning, the chemotherapy wiped me out. But as time went on, I got used to it, and before it was over, I was back at my church," said Paul. "Now that I'm 77, my wife wants me to stop. I guess landscaping is younger man's work."

Paul and his wife are forever grateful to Dr. Watson and the staff at Fox Chase. They are now able to enjoy their 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

"Dr. Watson really saved my life. I'll never forget him."

"Dr. Watson really saved my life. I'll never forget him," said Paul. He hasn't. Paul tells everyone he knows to see Dr. Watson if they are diagnosed with any type of gastrointestinal cancer.