Gary Shreck

By Heather Warlick, Staff Writer

Published: April 28, 2008

Gary Shreck knows what it's like to be diagnosed with cancer. He's received that diagnosis four times in his life. But having battled and beaten two rounds of skin cancer, colon cancer and most recently, throat cancer has only made Shreck stronger and more happy to be alive than ever.

“Everything that's happened to me has turned out for the best. If it had to happen, then this is the way to do it,” he said, his voice noticeably affected from his surgery, but still clear and strong with a tone of gratitude.

Having caught each cancer early, Shreck was able to avoid chemotherapy and radiation. For his skin cancers, he had the melanomas removed. He had his colon cancer removed but while he was recovering from that surgery in the hospital, he had a stroke. Even that was fortunate timing, he said, because he was in the hospital at the time and was able to be treated quickly enough to avoid long-term damage.

Last July, Shreck told his family doctor that he was having trouble swallowing. The doctor sent Shreck to a throat specialist who found a large mass of abnormal growth at the back of his throat that was slowly closing off his throat.

“It was a new cancer,” Shreck said. “He told me that I was probably going to need surgery and that we had the nation's best right here in Oklahoma City.”

Dr. Jesus Medina, chair of otolaryngology at OU College of Medicine removed and reconstructed part of Shreck's tongue just days after the cancerous mass was found. For months after the surgery, Shreck couldn't swallow any food. He had a tube in his throat to keep him from choking on his saliva and the only nourishment he was able to ingest was Ensure, which he said kept him strong and healthy. He didn't even lose weight during his recovery.

Shreck said the support of his family, church and health care workers are what kept him strong and his attitude positive during his health crises. He still goes to speech and physical therapy four or five times per week. He has retired from his career as a professor at Oklahoma Christian University and these days, Shreck said his main job is taking care of himself and spending time with his wife, Paulette Shreck, his three children and seven grandchildren.

His speech is getting better every day. He exercises often and said that he believes that God has been with him throughout his journey through cancer.

“I am so fortunate in so many ways,” he said. Thanks to following his doctors' instructions implicitly, Shreck said his recovery has been steady. “My swallowing is coming back. I've been able to keep my health otherwise. I'm in no pain at this point.”

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