“It’s just as the doctor predicted. It melted away. And now I am in remission for all of those cancers.”
Pat Funk of Wiscasset, Maine, Cancer Survivor
As a survivor of multiple cancers, Wiscasset’s Pat Funk knows first-hand the importance of starting treatment early.
You might call Pat Funk, a teacher from Wiscasset, the ultimate survivor. Since 2018, he has beaten two different cancers affecting multiple organs with the help of Dr. David Benton of New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) in Topsham.
Pat’s first cancer journey began in 1996, when he was a high school science teacher and sports official living in Ohio. “I was getting ready for a basketball game and doing some exercises, and I had a terrific pain,” he said. “I went to the hospital and found out that I had two kidney stones. And I passed those kidney stones during the night.”
Pat is a Wiscasset teacher
Pat left the hospital at 6 a.m. the next morning and got ready for a day of teaching. “I was hurting, but I don’t miss school unless it’s dramatic,” he said.
While he was at school, Pat got an unexpected phone call from the doctor—who asked him to come back in. Pat said, “I told them I was teaching, and that I could come in after 3:30. But they said, no, this needs to be now… because we think you may have cancer.”
So Pat went in. And further tests revealed that his left kidney had a 19-centimeter tumor.
“They told me, we've got to operate,” said Pat. “That was a Wednesday, and I had the operation on Friday. They took out my left kidney and stitched me up. And a few days later I went home. About a month later, I went back to teaching. In fact, I went back early because I didn’t want to miss ‘mole day’ in Chemistry class.”
Pat resumed his beloved teaching career and life continued normally for the next 22 years. In 2018, things took a turn. Pat was now living in Maine, and he was diagnosed at Dana-Farber in Boston with a recurring renal cancer—a tumor the size of a “dinner plate."
Then came the next shock: The cancer had metastasized to his brain, lungs, diaphragm and other organs.
With everything he was facing, Pat was grateful to find Dr. Benton at NECS in Topsham, just a half hour away from his home in Wiscasset. Dr. Benton was able to see Pat right away, and immediately took charge of Pat’s treatment plan, starting with a priory referral for brain surgery, followed by radiation.
“That seemed to take care of that part of things,” said Pat. “Then Dr. Benton suggested immunotherapy. It had just been approved.” Pat still had several other cancers to beat.
Pat started immunotherapy treatment, with remarkable results. “By the third treatment, the tumors in my lungs were definitely reduced,” said Pat. “The tumor in my diaphragm was gone. And the cancer in my right ilium was dealt with through radiation.”
After all the treatments, Pat says, “The cancer was just plain gone. The tumors disappeared off my lungs. I was in remission.”
Pat continued teaching and life proceeded as usual for another 5 years. Then, in 2023, Pat started having some pain, and he was diagnosed with anal cancer. Pat returned to Dr. Benton at New England Cancer Specialists.
“Again, Dr. Benton said we can treat this,” said Pat. So Pat began radiation and chemotherapy. Pat said the decision was made not to operate, as Dr. Benton and the care team felt the cancer would “melt away” without surgery.
Just weeks after the final radiation treatment, Pat was back in remission. “It’s just as the doctor predicted. It melted away. And now I am in remission for all of those cancers.”
“I really have only good things to say about my treatment, the doctors, and the whole facility at New England Cancer Specialists,’ said Pat. “Dr. Benton doesn't mess around if he sees a problem. His statement to me was, whatever happens, we'll deal with it. And that's what we've done for the last six years.”
Not only is Pat Funk the ultimate survivor: at age 78—he’s still teaching
Pat has survived multiple cancers with the help of New England Cancer Specialists. If you or someone you love has received a cancer diagnosis of any kind, getting seen and treated right away is the best prescription for a successful outcome. Click here for information on how to get started.
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