In honor of Sam McConkey
Sam McConkey, an attorney from Morehead City, never thought about getting screened for colon cancer. But, on a ski trip out West in 2005, a friend told him that he wanted to get screened, however, didn’t want to go through the process alone and asked Sam if he would go with him. So Sam, 67 years old at the time, agreed to go along and get screened just for the heck of it. He’s glad he did. The friend was cancer free, and even though he had been symptom free, Sam’s doctor found that he had Stage Three colon cancer. Had Sam not been screened accompanying a friend, he says he might not be here to tell about it.
Sam chose UNC for his surgery because he had been a Tar Heel for life, earning his undergraduate and law degrees at Carolina. He has been a supporter of Lineberger ever since the word “comprehensive” was added to its name.
Skillful and experienced surgeons and specialized available nursing care made the decision easier for Sam. Dr. H.J. Kim successfully performed Sam’s colon surgery. The surgery was followed up with aggressive chemotherapy and radiation therapy prescribed by Sam’s UNC team of physicians, but for convenience, was provided at his local hospital in Morehead City.
Regular testing indicates that Sam remains cancer free over four years post-surgery.
“Before my brush with cancer, I tended, probably like most of us, to take my routine and life for granted. Unquestionably, cancer changes you, but you cannot let your life be defined by this disease. I appreciate the extension of my life which I have probably been given by UNC Lineberger.”