Beyond the Call
Long-time patient and donor Bob Drewitt was blown away by the compassionate care he received following his cancer diagnosis.
In July 2020, Bob Drewitt of Georgetown noticed a small bump on the right side of his jaw while shaving. “It was only about the size of my knuckle, and I didn’t know how long it had been there, but it definitely didn’t look right,” he says.
His primary care physician at Baylor Scott & White first prescribed a round of steroids to determine if a simple treatment might do the trick. However, the bump remained, and Mr. Drewitt was referred to an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist for further testing.
A biopsy of the bump confirmed that Mr. Drewitt had cancer in his right parotid gland, the largest salivary gland located just in front of the ears. Already in Stage 4, this rare and aggressive cancer had spread to his lymph nodes.
“You’re never prepared to have someone tell you that you have cancer,” Mr. Drewitt says. “That’s why I tell everyone to get to your doctor right away when something doesn’t feel right. They might tell you there’s nothing to worry about, or it might be the visit that saves your life, like it was for me.”
Mr. Drewitt underwent a nine-hour surgery at Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center - Round Rock to remove the tumor, as well as 30 lymph nodes, leaving him with only one salivary gland.
 |
|
Mr. Drewitt rings the bell at Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center - Round Rock to celebrate the end of his chemotherapy treatment.
|
After surgery, Mr. Drewitt underwent 33 days of radiation and six chemotherapy treatments.
Since January 2021, multiple scans have shown Mr. Drewitt to be cancer-free. “The only lingering issue I have is dry mouth, which makes it hard to eat starchy foods. But if that’s all I have to worry about for the rest of my life, then I’ll happily stay away from the French fries!”
In honor of the care he received, Mr. Drewitt and his wife chose to donate in support of Baylor Scott & White Cancer Center - Round Rock.
“We were already giving to Baylor Scott & White, but I wanted to honor this team who saved my life,” Mr. Drewitt says. “Everyone and everything was beyond the call of what I would expect. I can’t imagine how many people they see in one day, but they all knew my name and made me feel like they cared about me specifically. From the nurses and techs to the gentleman who did the COVID-19 screenings at the front door—if I could, I would keep all their photos in my office, just like family!”
|