RB Juneau knows the ingredients for a quality life. He has been married to his wife Mary for almost 50 years, raised three children, and is the proud grandfather to five more. The energetic 69-year-old takes care of his health and stays fit by walking six miles every morning.
That is why he was stunned when a minor surgical procedure revealed that he had prostate cancer. “To say I was shocked is an understatement – it was unbelievable. I had always associated cancer with a funeral home, and I’m not a negative person.”
After letting the diagnosis sink in for a few minutes, Mr. Juneau was ready to discuss treatment. “I asked Dr. Antar [Orange Park Urology] what he would do, if he were me. He told me he had referred a number of patients to Scot Ackerman, M.D., with good results and that I would be in good hands.”
Mr. Juneau and his wife immediately reached out to Dr. Ackerman, and the very next morning, they drove to Ackerman Cancer Center for blood work and an MRI. “When I walked in that first time, it was like walking into a luxury hotel. It was so clean, and the people were so nice. Everyone greeted me by name,” he recalls.
After planning to undergo external radiation, Mr. Juneau was surprised to learn he qualified for proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation recently made available at Ackerman Cancer Center. “I would have been happy with external radiation, but when they showed me the difference, it relaxed my mind. I really felt it was a step above,” he says.
Now, 45 proton therapy treatments later, Mr. Juneau feels well and is eagerly awaiting his post-treatment blood results. He experienced no side effects whatsoever during treatment, except for the extra pounds he put on thanks to the “best fresh-baked cookies in town” readily available to Ackerman Cancer Center patients.
He is confident he made the right choice for his own treatment and encourages all patients to do their homework. “It’s up to the individual to surround themselves with family and friends and to find the best treatment that will work for you.”