Bob Willcockson Perseveres Bob Willcockson’s story of surviving pancreatic cancer is nothing short of remarkable. Previously diagnosed with terminal, Stage 3 pancreatic cancer and given only a few months to live, he’s shattered those odds and eight years later is doing well. As I sat with Bob and Lisa to hear their journey, the couple’s strong teamwork and solid bond is evident and their unbroken sense of humor priceless. Bob and Lisa married in 1984 and added two girls to their family, Alex and Briana. Alex is currently finishing up her PhD in Biology at the University of Texas. Briana is in Salt Lake City, Utah, working for the Children’s Miracle Network and applying for MBA schools for the Marketing program next fall. Bob and Lisa live in a beautiful home in the heart of Yankton, the house that Bob grew up in. Bob lives a short distance from his job at First Dakota National Bank/Raymond James where he has been since 1993. He is a Vice President of First Dakota Brokerage and an Investment Representative with Raymond James. A Devastating Discovery Bob’s journey started to unravel in October of 2009. One Saturday morning while he and Lisa were running errands, Lisa looked at Bob and noticed he was jaundice, his skin was turning yellow. They immediately headed to the Emergency Room in Yankton where he underwent a CT scan. After further testing it was discovered that Bob had a tumor wrapped around the superior mesenteric vein; he had pancreatic cancer. The devastating news shocked them as he had no risk factors: no familial history and he wasn’t a consumer of alcohol or tobacco. Searching for further treatment, they enlisted help from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and had an appointment scheduled the very next day. During his week’s stay, he saw a team of 8 different doctors who provided him with a straightforward, grim diagnosis. He was inoperable, no treatments would work on him at this point. He was terminal and the prospect of him surviving seven more months until May to see his youngest daughter Brianna graduate from high school was a long shot. Bob felt disbelief and disappointment. He disbelieved how he got the cancer without having any of the risk factors. Disappointment washed over him that he wouldn’t see the girls grow up. He knew Lisa would be fine but he worried about his daughters having to grow up without their father. When they were about ready to leave, one of the doctors on that team, Dr. Levy, called them back in to talk. He told Bob about a clinical trial, an experimental treatment, called Phase 1 and spent a substantial amount of time explaining the details to them. The treatment might extend Bob’s life by a couple weeks. Bob hesitated, undecided about whether to take part in the treatment. He thought, “What’s the point?” He might gain a few more weeks. Was it worth trying? They liked Dr. Levy, though, and appreciated his disposition and the time that he took explaining the treatment. They also liked the idea that the treatment might be able to slow the tumor’s growth using an unconventional delivery of the medication in one simple and painless procedure. Though not all doctors on Bob’s team agreed that it was the best for Bob, the Willcockson family decided if the treatment was fast and painless, Bob would try it to help contribute to someone else’s fight with this cancer. He had only one condition: the minute Bob got sick from the treatment, he would stop. He didn’t want the treatments to kill him. Plan Implementation Prior to the Phase 1 procedure, Bob visited with another medical Over 50? Time for a financial checkup. Rhonda L. Wesseln, Agent 1023 W. 9th Street Yankton, SD 57078 Bus: 605-665-4411 Especially as you near retirement. Be proactive when it comes to your financial health. It’s never too late to get on the right path to a healthy financial future. Let me help you get where you need to be. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® CALL ME TODAY. rhonda@rhondainsuresyou.com 1001303.2 12vHISVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 State Farm, Bloomington, IL