Bill Garwood's Story of survival
"Take
charge
of your
health.”
That’s
the
message
Bill Garwood, breast cancer
survivor and associate vice president
of finance for suburban hospitals
with UTMB, wants to leave with
the people who read his story.
Diagnosed with Stage 3 breast
cancer in December 2018, Garwood
has been cancer-free since the
mastectomy he had in 2019. However,
had he not been in tune with
his body and made time to address
his concerns, his outcome may have
been much
worse.
“I’ve
always been
diligent with
exercise
and getting
annual physicals,”
he
said, noting
that he had
his annual
exam with
his primary
care provider just seven days before
his cancer diagnosis on Dec. 18,
2018.
At the time of his appointment, he
felt completely fine and didn’t have
the slightest suspicion he might
have something serious brewing
inside of him. That all changed a few
days later when he felt a pain on the
right side of his chest while he was
lying in bed.
“Initially, I didn’t think anything of
it,” he said.
When he felt the pain again during
the day while at work, he pressed
on the area of discomfort and felt
something hard.
That was enough for him to call
his doctor and schedule another
appointment. That appointment
was followed by a visit to the UTMB
League City Campus where he had
an ultrasound and biopsy both in the
same day.
When the results came back positive
for breast cancer, Garwood felt
shock and disbelief.
“I was generally aware that breast
cancer could occur in men, but I
never once believed it would affect
me directly, because it’s rare,” he
said.
Current data estimates that about
one out of every 100 breast cancer
cases in the United States is found
in a man.
Garwood went on to share that
his mother passed away from breast
cancer when she was 35 years old,
but testing at the time of his diagnosis
determined his case was not a
genetic one.
When he learned of his diagnosis,
he immediately alerted his loved
ones — including his brothers and
daughters. To date, they all remain
healthy and well, including Bill.
They all are staying on top of their
screenings and appointments, being
mindful of the risk factors they have
for breast cancer.
For Bill, the ongoing screenings
and appointments include an annual
visit with the surgeon responsible
for his mastectomy, Dr. Colleen
Silva, professor at the UTMB Health
Department of Surgery and medical
director of the UTMB Breast Health
and Imaging Center in League City.
He also meets with his oncologist
every six months and currently
is taking medication to keep his
estrogen levels low, as the type of
cancer he was diagnosed with was
considered estrogen-positive breast
cancer.
Next month will mark five years
since he began taking the daily pill,
but he’s actually in the process of
exploring alternatives and whether
continuing with it is the best course
of action for him.
“My oncologist is talking about
the possibility of continuing it for an
additional five years just because
of current science in that area,” he
said, adding that while the medication
is keeping his estrogen levels in
check, it also is interrupting the way
his body absorbs calcium, which is
problematic.
“When I meet with my oncologist
next time, we’ll talk through my
options and determine the best path
forward, because if I stop the estrogen-
regulating medication, there’s a
small chance the cancer could come
back,” he said.
So, while chemotherapy, surgeries
and radiation may be a thing
of Garwood’s past, staying on top
of his health and risks for cancer
is top of mind daily. And despite
the drawbacks of the medications,
he explains it’s still better than the
alternative of not being here at all.
Since defeating cancer, he’s gone
on to make numerous memories with
his many loved ones, including two
granddaughters. By his side through
it all has been his wife of more than
40 years.
Telling his wife about his diagnosis
all those years ago was quite challenging,
he said.
“I hated having to tell my wife,”
Garwood said. “I know, at least in
my wife’s case, she was really scared
she was going to lose me.”
But Garwood never had any doubt
in his mind he’d come out on the
other side of his battle.
“In my mind, there was never a
question that I was going to beat it
and get through it and be healthy,”
he said. “I think for the actual person
going through the journey, you have
to decide you’re going to beat it.”
Bill and Dr. Silva shared more about his story in a recent video interview with Houston Moms.
This feature first ran as a feature story in the 2024 Think Pink special section of the Daily News. You can view the full the publication online .