Skip to main content
Global Edition
Thursday, March 28, 2024

'Waiting game' for Oregon patient needing cancer surgery

Duration: 01:22s 0 shares 1 views

'Waiting game' for Oregon patient needing cancer surgery
'Waiting game' for Oregon patient needing cancer surgery

George Polas learned in March he had an aggressive type of prostate cancer that would require surgical removal - just as the coronavirus pandemic began spreading rapidly in the United States.

Libby Hogan has more.

George Polas is playing the waiting game in Oregon for surgery that could save his life.

It wasn't his choice to wait.

He found out he had an aggressive type of prostate cancer in March.

But routine surgeries were put on hold in the United States, while healthcare workers grappled with the coronavirus and many hospitals had to save beds for the influx of COVID-19 patients.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE POLAS, CANCER PATIENT AWAITING SURGERY, SAYING: "You know there are certain things you've got to do to prepare yourself ahead of time.

And certain things you've got to drink and things like this and do.

And get yourself psychologically ready to go, and then two days before your surgery, they can cancel like that?

I don't think that's right." He was finally told that May 13 is his tentative surgery date.

Keyword is 'tentative'.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE POLAS, CANCER PATIENT AWAITING SURGERY, SAYING: "It is what it is, as my son always says.

It's frustrating that is has to happen this way, but there's a lot of people going through a lot worse situations that I am.

It's an acceptance of unprecedented times and George says while he faces the risk of his cancer worsening and given his health and age, he's keenly aware of the danger COVID-19 poses to him.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGE POLAS, CANCER PATIENT AWAITING SURGERY, SAYING: "I'd hate to be in a situation in the hospital where I come down with this virus and then you die from the virus and not from the cancer.

And I'm in that age category.

I'm 71, and you're in that hot spot for older people even though I was in fairly good shape.

You never know." George will undergo hormone therapy to fight back against the cancer in the month ahead.

You might like

Related news coverage

Advertisement