health Help Is Now Closer Patient with rare cancer finds care, support at Karmanos’ Weisberg Center. ELIZABETH A. KATZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS ABOVE: Jeff Levinson, center, is flanked by two of his friends, Howard Katz, left, and Marc Rosenzweig. All three men are members of Karmanos’ Men’s Networking Group, which provides support and information for men who have been diagnosed with cancer. 54 May 18 • 2017 F M.D., leader of the Myeloma and or many cancer survivors who have Amyloidosis Multidisciplinary Subteam been cured of their disease, there at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer is often worry that the disease will Institute in Farmington Hills. Zonder not return. Jeff Levinson, 57, of Bloomfield Township only treats solitary isolated plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma, but other has gone through two rare cancers including amyloi- bouts of Solitary Isolated dosis and light chain deposition Plasmacytoma, a rare condi- disease (conditions in which tion that reveals itself as a abnormal proteins are deposited single plasma tumor mass in in various bodily organs, leading the bones or soft tissue. It is to organ compromise and failure). often a precursor to multiple He also treats patients with non- myeloma, a cancer of the plas- Hodgkin’s lymphoma and some ma cells diagnosed in 25,000 leukemia patients. to 30,000 people per year in Zonder, who usually sees the United States. patients at Karmanos’ Detroit His first bout occurred location, is now seeing patients in the T7 vertebra between each Monday at Karmanos’ his shoulder blades in 2006. Dr. Jeffrey Zonder Lawrence and Idell Weisberg Symptoms included back pain, Cancer Treatment Center in and he received radiation to Farmington Hills. eliminate the tumor. His sec- “I see Dr. Zonder every three months,” ond bout occurred in 2014, this time affect- ing his C2 vertebra, one of the spinal bones Levinson said. “I think he is very thor- ough. He looks at the big picture and he’s in his neck. Two weeks into that series of very patient-centered. I can’t speak highly radiation treatments, his affected vertebra enough about the care I’ve received from literally crumbled. “The surgeon told me you are at risk of a Karmanos. The staff there has a great touch.” fatal spinal cord injury if you don’t get sur- Levinson said he also has received gery,” Levinson said. That surgery included the insertion of titanium rods into his neck considerable help from various support groups at Karmanos, including the Men’s so that his head would be supported. As a Networking Group at Weisberg, which result of the surgery, Levinson cannot turn meets the first and third Tuesday of every his head left to right though he can move month from 6-7:30 p.m. A spouses’ support his head up and down. Currently, though, Levinson said the only group also meets at the same time. “There is a wonderful camaraderie with medication he’s on is a cholesterol pill. these gentlemen who are living with can- “I’m pretty healthy right now,” Levinson cer,” Levinson said. “We laugh, tell jokes, said. “I exercise. I’m always grateful for have fun and talk about treatments. I’m where I am healthwise.” glad I attend.” Levinson is a patient of Jeffrey Zonder, jn Zonder mentions that he refers his patients to many of the supports groups at Karmanos and other organizations that help people with hematologic malignan- cies. “Patients receive benefits such as talking with others who have had similar experi- ences,” Zonder said. “They gain a different perspective on their disease and are able to vent. They can compare and discuss treatment plans with others and can gain education within the group and through speakers who come to the groups.” Levinson also credits Karmanos’ Oncology Social Worker Kathleen Hardy, who he describes as warm, compassionate and kind, and his wife of 32 years, Ina, with supporting him through his treatments. “Ina has been a wonderful emotional support,” he said. “She was my chauffeur for 10 months while I couldn’t drive, and Ina really despises driving. When I received the green light to drive again, she threw the keys at me and hung up her chauf- feur’s hat. But she still goes to my oncology appointments with me. We’re there as a team.” As of right now, Levinson is on surveil- lance with Zonder for any new tumor that may develop. “I don’t consider myself cancer-free. I don’t know if I’ll ever be cancer-free,” Levinson said. “Do I think about the can- cer? Yes. But if it comes back, I’ll be ready. I’ll say, let’s go at it.” • To learn more about Karmanos’ support groups at the Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center, contact Kathleen Hardy at (248) 538-4712. Elizabeth A. Katz is the external marketing and communications manager at Karmanos Cancer Institute.