After surviving against the odds, most people would be content merely to be alive. This man is not. He is moving beyond his own survival to help others live by establishing the THOMAS F. LOONEY JR. TESTICULAR AND PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION.

"Every cancer patient remembers the date, time and place when they find out their diagnosis," Thomas (Buddy to his hometown) Looney says. The life-long Alexander City area resident recalls, "It was July 3, 1999. I was driving from Atlanta on I-20 when my doctor called on my cell phone, 'We got your results. Where are you? When I told him he said, `Pull over, we've got to talk.' And that's when my world came unglued."

"My first reaction was total denial-I feel good, how can you tell me I have a terminal disease!-But after I saw the report in black and white and heard medical professionals become alarmed at what they read I began to accept the diagnosis."

Up until that point Looney's life was busy with his job as a software design instructor, flying all over the country speaking, teaching and training in computer software for the auto parts industry. He has been involved in software since the early '80's when it was a fledgling field. Now his services are in high demand because, in the industry, he is known as a good communicator who can speak on several levels, translating this highly technical language into everyday English. "A good knack for interchangeable definition of words," explains one client.

But since that phone call, Buddy has learned a whole new language, the language of testicular cancer and he is using his considerable communication skills to comfort and educate audiences from coast to coast.

He begins a subject that, "Men are reluctant to talk about," by telling his own story in a calm, straightforward manner. "I was on a fishing trip, went to bed one night and everything was fine. Woke up the next morning with pain in my right hip. A pinched nerve maybe or I had only leaned out of the boat awkwardly. Now I know it was the first sign."

About three weeks later, during a self-exam (which he urges men to perform as regular as women are urged to do a breast self-exam), "I discovered my right testicle enlarged. I went to the doctor and had a series of tests but these did not reveal the problem. You see," he continues, "there are two types of testicular cancer. Type 1 is fairly simple to treat. Type 2 is rare, usually occurs in males between 15-35. For several reasons because I had just turned 41, because I have a physical every year, because this type is so rare-it was the last thing they looked for." But after a biopsy the diagnosis was indeed, type 2 testicular cancer. "The type I have and yes, Lance Armstrong has." Buddy continues, "The first line of defense with cancer is local and Dr. James Harrow and the medical system in Alexander City are excellent but with such a specialized diagnosis I began to do exhaustive research by phone, through friends, by computer. When I would describe my problem and ask is there anything you might help me with, the answer was usually, `No.' Even M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston said they could not give me over 30% to 40% survival chance."

Instead of giving up he got aggravated. "Don't tell me I am going to die. Tell me where I can go to live!" he exclaimed. Throughout his research, one name kept popping up, Dr. Thomas Keane at Emory University, world famous as director of a cancer research laboratory. Buddy concluded that his only chance for survival was to become a test subject/patient of Dr. Keane's.

"When I walked into his office a whirlwind began. I sat down, introduced myself, Dr. Keane opened my chart and his first words were, `Oh my God.' Then he caught himself and continued, `I don't know if I can help you'."

"We discussed chemotherapy or surgery. With surgery he gave me a 50% chance to survive (3 years ago the survival rate was 25%). Two surgeries followed. During the first, removing the testicle intact without violating the tumor was vital. "This tumor," Looney explains, "is like a balloon. If it bursts, cancer `germs' will spread." This surgery was successful. Now another decision. "I've seen tears in Dr. Keane's eyes," Buddy recalls their discussions. They decided on retro-peritoneal exploratory and lymph node dissection, an extensive and radical procedure.

Buddy explains, "That is removing the lymph nodes which are in a pathway up your spine that can carry the cancer on its usual progression from the testicle to the tungs to the brain. So, beginning with the lower node, each one is removed and tested during surgery until a cancer free lymph node is found." There was no guarantee that he could even survive the grueling 5 hour surgery. There is now a 50-50 chance that surgery removed it all.

"I turned one year old this December," he says. "That is how cancer patients say how long we have survived. Statistically I should have been dead December 1999."

Lance Armstrong's battle with testicular cancer gained world-wide attention. How did it help Buddy? "I remember as I was coming out of the anesthetic (after the first surgery), seeing the Tour de France on TV. They were discussing the details of Armstrong's cancer and it scared me. Dr. Keane came into the hospital room, saw what I was watching and asked me to cut it off because he knew they were talking about what was down the road for me."

Listening to his shattering and courageous story so calmly told, I could only wonder what determination got him through this ordeal? He answers by recalling a day, early in this story, when Dr. Keane told him that physically he was in good shape but, "if I lose you mentally it can kill you." Then he asked his patient, "What do you love the most?"

Looney immediately replied, "My daughter," and smiles with pride when he talks about this 16 year old daughter. "My worst fear was not dying but the thought of my daughter growing up without her father."

"Well then, if you want to continue to live," Keane advised, "when you are down focus on her."

Looney must undergo extensive tests every 90 days. "There is no cure for testicular cancer," he explains, "you can only hope to halt the spread." He must also face the fact that he is now with in the top percent of men who may develop prostate cancer. "Testicular cancer is devasting but prostate cancer kills and maims thousands more men," he says.

He returned to work in March 2000 and along with computer education, he has been asked by many professional groups, who know his ability to communicate, to speak on male cancers.

So Buddy Looney who once cried out, "Don't tell me I'm going to die. Tell me how I can live!" is putting those words into action for others as well. Besides speaking, he has established the Thomas F. Looney Jr. Testicular and Prostate Cancer Research Foundation. This non-profit foundation will support private research and provide help and information for men dealing with these cancers. Buddy Looney asks that you think about the help you can provide, "Become active with me in this foundation and think about the quality of lives you can save in so doing."

For more information contact: Thomas F. Looney Jr. 256-234-5233.

You may also visit my web site:  www.menscancer.com.