Tom Michaels
As a longtime member of the Birmingham Metro Sertoma Club, Tom Michaels has often been a vocal advocate for the UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Recently, those efforts have become more personal for Michaels. His wife went through successful breast cancer treatment at UAB, as did his daughter for lymphoma. Michaels has recommended the O’Neal Cancer Center to several friends as well. Most personal of all, Michaels himself enrolled in a clinical trial at the O’Neal for multiple myeloma six years ago at age 78 and emerged cancer-free.
“I guess what goes around comes around,” Michaels says. “The money we raise for the Cancer Center helps them do the work needed to apply for grants that allow them to conduct these clinical trials. That shows the value of the contributions.”
Michaels is so familiar with the work taking place at O’Neal that when he received his cancer diagnosis, he quickly began doing research into the clinical trial being offered before he even had his first meeting with UAB hematologist and medical oncologist Luciano Costa, M.D.
“He’s a very engaged and informed gentleman who clearly understood the approach of our program,” Costa says. “Survival of myeloma is very age dependent, with most people in their late 70s having a survival rate of less than five years. He was looking for innovation and a way to beat those odds. So, he was willing to take a chance with a new approach.
“Even though the trial was mostly for patients at a much younger age who often are candidates for an autologous stem cell transplant, [Tom Michaels] proved himself right by tolerating treatment very well and enduring the side effects. Now, he’s been in remission for five years and is leading a very normal life.”
Indeed, Michaels says “right now, I’m good,” with no lingering side effects from the treatment. He takes a daily oral medication, meets with Costa every other month and monitors his health through a regular minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis.
“Now, he has become a tremendous advocate for our program and institution and is advising several other ongoing and prospective patients in the Cancer Center,” Costa says. “I’m very proud to have him as a patient.”
Having now been on the receiving end of the services provided by the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, Michaels says he can attest first-hand to the value of supporting the facility and its director, Barry P. Sleckman, M.D., Ph.D.
“I can’t say enough about Dr. Sleckman. He is a top-notch, active promoter,” Michaels says. “We started a fund for multiple myeloma research, and he’s been extremely helpful in raising additional funds for that. I’ve been elated with all the medical care I’ve had at UAB.”