It is five and half years since my beloved husband, Martijn Hermse, died of Anal Cancer. Today marks the very first time the world is focusing attention on this preventable disease. In honor of Martijn, it is my wish to join that quest.
Martijn Hermse, Maastricht, the Netherlands, 2007
Martijn was one of the healthiest human beings I’ve ever known. Fit, trim, moderate in his habits, he nevertheless contracted Anal Cancer, possibly during his university days in Amsterdam, where he lived when we met .
Perhaps due to Martijn's very robustness, he didn’t sense the disease until it was too late to effectively treat it. By the time the symptoms were severe enough that even he went to a physician, it seems the cancer had advanced to stage four.
Our primary care doctor in the Netherlands, Maurice Bom, MD, realized how fit Martijn was and thought if anyone could beat Anal Cancer at this stage it would be him.
Initially, the oncologist, Dr. Keymueller, thought the tumor was very small. Martijn weathered the intense chemo and radiology protocol extremely well. As he references in this video, perhaps too well.
The treatment not only did not impact the tumor, it seems it may have accelerated its growth. Or, the diagnosticians simply misjudged its size from the beginning. Whichever the case, after undergoing the chemo/radiation and waiting what may have been precious months, the next MRIs and CAT scans showed a large mass in his rectum.
The only steps were to accept his terminal diagnosis or undergo radical rectal amputation. While most experts explained that this choice still had very little likelihood for saving his life, if anyone would be able to survive and thrive, it would be Martijn.
I will be writing about the entire experience. Today seemed a proper day to take the first step.
Please take time to watch this amazing interview with Martijn, just two weeks post surgery.
And importantly, learn all you can about HPV and Anal Cancer screening.
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