Neighbor News
Cancer survivor treated at Advocate Christ Medical Center unfurls Bear Down flag ahead of game
Calumet City man discovers signs of breast cancer, then learns he also has second cancer.
Advocate Health Care cancer survivor Willie Jones was recognized as the Chicago Bears’ special guest during the Bear Down Flag Ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 21 before the team’s win against the Dallas Cowboys. The experience marks the end of about a year of treatment for Jones, who was shocked to learn last year he had not one but two forms of cancer.
Advocate and the Bears invited Jones of Calumet City, who received treatment at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, to help unfurl the giant flag at Soldier Field just ahead of kickoff. Jones’s son Justin joined him on the field while other family cheered them on from the stands. Afterward, the family was able to enjoy watching the Bears win.
Jones, 58, said the experience was a special opportunity and a way to reflect on his journey and how far he’s come from diagnosis to treatment, which continues this fall. Jones was first diagnosed last year after feeling a lump in his breast. He suspected breast cancer as he has a family history and knew the disease can also occur in men. But a scan also revealed a second diagnosis – oropharyngeal cancer, a cancer in the tongue or throat.
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“It’s tough to go to the doctor and wind up with two cancers,” Jones said. “But I’ve spent a year fighting and I’m grateful to have caught this and have a great team behind me – my family and my care team.”
Shortly after diagnosis, Jones received a mastectomy and then completed treatment for his oropharyngeal cancer. Next he’ll receive some additional treatment for the breast cancer. He said he’s feeling well and is looking forward to completing his cancer journey.
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Dr. Ameer Gomberawalla, Jones’s surgeon, said Jones has a positive outlook and is a good reminder to know your risk factors, family history and reach out to physicians when something doesn’t feel right.
“Mr. Jones is an inspiration,” he said. “He knew something was wrong and reached out early. Many times, breast cancer in men gets detected late. One cancer is already a lot for someone to deal with, and Mr. Jones needed treatment for two. He has been through a lot, and it's wonderful to honor him with this special opportunity with the Chicago Bears.”
