Life-saving cancer care gives southern Indiana man a second chance
When 55-year-old Melvin Carver of Ramsey, Indiana was told he had advanced lung cancer in early 2022, the words felt like a countdown.
“You know in your head you’re going to die,” Melvin said. “They told me if I didn’t do anything, I had maybe nine months to a year.”
He began preparing for the inevitable – selling his house, giving away possessions, and making sure his children were taken care of. The diagnosis was high stage III, nearly stage IV cancer.
Then came a glimmer of hope. Melvin turned to Baptist Health Floyd and thoracic surgeon Nabeel Gul, MD. Before surgery was even possible, he would have to endure a year of aggressive chemotherapy and immunotherapy to shrink the tumor.
“I thought I was going to die before I could even get surgery,” Melvin recalled. “You see the days ticking. You see the clock in front of you.”
But his resilience, and his care team, never wavered. In April 2023, Dr. Gul successfully removed the tumor and one-third of Melvin’s right lung. Today, Melvin is cancer-free.
“The surgery gave me a chance,” he said. “The way I see it, he gave me my life.”
Donor support made that possible – funding the advanced surgical tools, cancer research, and whole-person care that sustained Melvin from diagnosis to recovery.
That care didn’t stop with surgery. Melvin’s team also helped him overcome alcohol use that was threatening his recovery.
“My liver numbers were elevated, and the doctor said if I didn’t quit, I’d be on dialysis within a week,” he recalled. “So, I stopped drinking that day. My life has been so much better since then.”
Now, Melvin returns every six months for follow-up scans at the Baptist Health Floyd Cancer Center. He lives with gratitude and a mission:
“I live like I’m dying every day. If I can just touch one person with my story, give just one person hope, it’s worth it.”
Donor generosity fuels care, fuels innovation, and most of all, fuels hope. Because of you, more people like Melvin can receive world-class cancer treatment close to home.
Thank you for moving cancer care forward and changing lives.
“You know in your head you’re going to die,” Melvin said. “They told me if I didn’t do anything, I had maybe nine months to a year.”
He began preparing for the inevitable – selling his house, giving away possessions, and making sure his children were taken care of. The diagnosis was high stage III, nearly stage IV cancer.
Then came a glimmer of hope. Melvin turned to Baptist Health Floyd and thoracic surgeon Nabeel Gul, MD. Before surgery was even possible, he would have to endure a year of aggressive chemotherapy and immunotherapy to shrink the tumor.
“I thought I was going to die before I could even get surgery,” Melvin recalled. “You see the days ticking. You see the clock in front of you.”
But his resilience, and his care team, never wavered. In April 2023, Dr. Gul successfully removed the tumor and one-third of Melvin’s right lung. Today, Melvin is cancer-free.
“The surgery gave me a chance,” he said. “The way I see it, he gave me my life.”
Donor support made that possible – funding the advanced surgical tools, cancer research, and whole-person care that sustained Melvin from diagnosis to recovery.
That care didn’t stop with surgery. Melvin’s team also helped him overcome alcohol use that was threatening his recovery.
“My liver numbers were elevated, and the doctor said if I didn’t quit, I’d be on dialysis within a week,” he recalled. “So, I stopped drinking that day. My life has been so much better since then.”
Now, Melvin returns every six months for follow-up scans at the Baptist Health Floyd Cancer Center. He lives with gratitude and a mission:
“I live like I’m dying every day. If I can just touch one person with my story, give just one person hope, it’s worth it.”
Donor generosity fuels care, fuels innovation, and most of all, fuels hope. Because of you, more people like Melvin can receive world-class cancer treatment close to home.
Thank you for moving cancer care forward and changing lives.
“The way I see it, he [Nabeel Gul, MD] gave me my life.”
The Dawn of a Healthier Tomorrow
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