During a visit to the hospital for symptoms of anemia, Juan Francisco Jimenez received an unexpected and devastating diagnosis: colon cancer. After a battery of tests, his doctors confirmed the disease had reached Stage 4, spreading to his stomach, liver and lungs.
“At the beginning it was hard. Hearing the diagnosis was rather traumatic,” Jimenez said, recalling his diagnosis two years ago. “When we hear a doctor say, ‘You have cancer,’ we automatically think, ‘I’m going to die.’ The type of cancer they were telling me I had can be deadly.”
Instead of falling into despair, Jimenez leaned on the medical experts, his family and faith.
At first, Juan Francisco Jimenez was devastated by his colon cancer diagnosis. However, with the help of family, his faith and specialists at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, he is fighting his cancer and urging others to get life-saving cancer screenings. (Photo: Texas Tech Health El Paso staff)
“Thanks to God there is always hope – hope that I can get better and things will be better,” he said. “The health care providers – and my family – helped me get rid of stress and be more positive. The thing that has given me the greatest hope is knowing I’m in good hands with my Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso doctors.”
Getting treatment here at home in El Paso, close to family and his job, was vital.
“When you have to leave your home and those who support you, it’s hard to get through the treatments,” Jimenez said. “You feel alone, and it takes more out of you.”
In addition to the emotional toll, Jimenez was concerned about the financial cost of possibly having to leave town to get treatment. Fortunately, with cancer specialists at Texas Tech Physicians of El Paso, Jimenez found access to world-class care in his hometown.
Jimenez said the journey from diagnosis through treatment is full of emotional upheaval.
When he heard the words “you have Stage 4 colon cancer, and it has spread to your stomach, liver and intestines,” he felt crushed and robbed of his future. He thought of all the things he still had to do and needed to complete.
However, as his treatment progressed and his doctors saw promising results, he became more hopeful and less stressed. Even after an eight-hour surgery to remove the affected tissue in his stomach, liver and digestive tract, Jimenez said he remained positive, and his faith carried him through. He was also comforted by the quality care he received from his doctors, nurses and staff, and the love from his family.
“You cannot allow your thoughts to become negative,” said Jimenez.
Today, Jimenez urges all men who feel something is wrong in their bodies to not be afraid or embarrassed, but to go to their doctor and be honest about what they’re feeling.
He’s also grateful to those who donate funds to help people with cancer and all the challenges the disease brings.
“Thank you to all those folks who have a caring heart and bring hope to all of us who are working through our cancer battle,” said Jimenez.
In El Paso County, the age-adjusted incidence rate of colon and rectum cancer is 4.5 cases per 100,000 in men younger than 50 years old. And of these more than half have late-stage colon and rectum cancer, according to data from the National Cancer Institute.
Texas Tech Health El Paso has several cancer prevention programs to assist our community, including the Southwest Coalition for Colorectal Cancer Screening. Known as SuCCCeS, the program is designed to reduce the rates of colorectal cancer in El Paso County through screenings and education.
Participants must be 45 to 75 years old, uninsured/underinsured, and must have a Texas address. Anyone with a past history of colorectal cancer and blood in stool does not qualify.
Colorectal cancer key points
In Texas, colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death among males and females, according to the Texas Cancer Registry.Non-Hispanic Black Texans had the highest colorectal cancer diagnosis rate and death rate compared to all other race and ethnicity groups. And 64% of Texans diagnosed with colorectal cancer survived for at least five years past diagnosis from 2012-2018.
Supporting cancer warriors
On Friday, Dec. 6, Texas Tech Health El Paso will illuminate the sky and celebrate cancer warriors from around our Borderplex, including Juan Francisco Jimenez. The second annual Lighting Campus for Hope event is free to the public and features nonstop fun, complete with a mascot dance-off and photos with Santa and friends. The grand finale includes a fireworks extravaganza that will light up the sky.
Every dollar raised during and for the event will go towards life-saving cancer screenings. Join us as we transform our campus into a shimmering winter wonderland and honor the bravery of those who have fought, or are still fighting, cancer.
The post Fighting cancer with medicine, family and faith appeared first on El Paso Matters.
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