Patient Stories

Bill Sawyer - Finds 201 rays of hope

Story courtesy of John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital Gamma Knife Center

I will never forget the day I heard those words, “Coach, you’ve got a brain tumor.” The radiologist was almost in tears as he showed me the CAT scan. I coached him in little league football, and he has always called me “Coach.” He recommended I see a specialist and check into something called Gamma Knife.

It was all so hard to believe. I had taken pretty good care of myself. At 6’5 and 250 pounds, I had played four years (1973-1977) for the Florida State University football team. My son, Brian, was the FSU football captain in 2004. At 6’1 my daughter, Rebecca, enjoyed basketball and, my wife, Fran, was an avid tennis player. It would be my family, their love and support that would get me through it.

I was living in Cordele, Georgia, at the time and scheduled an appointment with a nearby specialist. After seeing the results of the MRI, he told me I had a Fifth Nerve Neuroma and needed surgery. He said there were risks involved, because the nerves in that area are very sensitive. If he touched them or even blew on them, I could lose my vision, my hearing, my ability to walk or even my life. At age 49, those were not options I wanted to hear. That was not a play I could use. In football, every play in the playbook is designed for winning. If I wanted to continue to live and make an impact like my mentor, coach Bowden, I had to come up with a winning plan – a plan of attack. I decided to look into Gamma Knife.

My friend who was also in medical sales suggested I contact the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Gamma Knife Center and talk with them. I made the call and spoke with their representative at length. I told her I started having terrible headaches, something I had never had before, and one side of my face was numb. After about 45 minutes she said, “Bill, I think Gamma Knife is the best choice.” We discussed Gamma Knife centers close to my home.

It was almost too good to be true when she asked, “Have you ever heard of Thomasville, Georgia?” She said, “There’s a Dr. Gerry Kadis in Thomasville at John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital. He trained here, but he lives in Thomasville where Archbold has built a beautiful Gamma Knife Center with state-of-the-art equipment. Schedule an appointment to see him.”

I found Dr. Kadis to be very knowledgeable and straightforward. I especially liked how he said the surgery was painless, it could be done on an outpatient basis, and I might be playing golf that afternoon. There would be no cutting, no two weeks of recovery in intensive care and a much lower risk of infection – all of which can be associated with conventional brain surgery.

The Gamma Knife surgery took about three hours. I was awake, my wife was nearby and Dr. Kadis walked me through it the entire time. I was lying on my back wearing a new type of helmet. This helmet allowed Dr. Kadis to pinpoint the exact location of my tumor and deliver the prescribed dosage of radiation rays. Those rays… those 201 rays gave me hope. In less than one week, my headaches were gone.

Today, I’m celebrating my one year anniversary with my family and living once again in Tallahassee. I feel like a new man with a second chance. I have a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of others – especially teenagers.

To anyone who ever hears the words “brain tumor,” there’s hope. Don’t try to tackle it alone. Have a strong faith in God, family and friends, and do the research. Since the Gamma Knife surgery last year, my life has changed dramatically, and I’m here to tell it. Gamma Knife was the winning play I knew I could score with for the touchdown I needed.

Click for our next patient story - Gerry Radano

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