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Cancer Survivor Celebrates
20 Years of Health

Daytona Beach native Greg Foster went through periods when he did not think he would survive his battle with cancer. But 20 years after his recovery, Foster returned to Halifax Health — Center for Oncology to celebrate life and thank the people who saved him.

“I couldn’t not do this,” said Foster. “I had to thank them.”

Foster, 48, was born at Halifax Health Medical Center. Twenty years ago, the staff at the same hospital helped save his life.

Doctors Convinced Foster to Fight

Foster was working in Orlando when he noticed swelling in his groin area after an accident. His doctor then discovered a mass in his testicle.

Foster decided to return to Daytona Beach for his cancer treatment at Halifax Health — Center for Oncology, where he met Drs. Richard Weiss and Alvin Smith. Further tests revealed spots on his lung and a large mass in his abdomen.

Foster began a chemotherapy regimen that consisted of four to six treatments over a period of several weeks. During the first cycles of chemo, he denied treatment twice, deciding that it would be easier to just go home and let the cancer take over.

“I was ready to throw in the towel,” said Foster. “It was such a far reach for me to even survive, and the cure was so drastic and so difficult.”

But both times that Foster gave up, his doctors at Halifax Health came to his house and urged him to fight.

Experimental Treatment

Following his initial chemo treatments at Halifax Health, Foster went into remission for more than six months. Then, around October 1987, the cancer returned. His Daytona Beach physicians recommended that Foster travel to Indiana to enroll in a clinical trial with renowned oncologist Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, who treated Lance Armstrong.

Foster underwent an experimental form of chemotherapy, as well as nine hours of surgery to remove a new abdominal mass. He then came home to Daytona Beach to start the 18-month healing process.

Twenty years later, Foster is still immeasurably thankful to the people who helped him.

“I want the staff here to know that what they do counts,” said Foster. “You never truly know how precious life is until you stare death in the face. And they do it every day.”