Courtesy Photo Pete Wilson, 61, co-owner Alpena Agency, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2021. He is grateful to have received his treatment, as well as follow-up care in his hometown at the Alpena Cancer Center on the campus of MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena. Wilson, pictured, enjoys time on the water with friends and family.

ALPENA — Home is more than a physical structure — it’s a place where people feel safe, seek comfort and connect with friends and family. It’s where laughs are shared, memories are created, and it can become a sanctuary when life gets turned upside down. A diagnosis of cancer is a life-altering experience, and home is the place many want to begin to process the news.

Pete Wilson, 61, co-owner of Alpena Agency, was grateful he was able to receive cancer treatments in his hometown. Diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2021, Wilson faced many challenges with his diagnoses and was willing to go anywhere in the world to ensure he got the best treatment. After several trips to larger medical facilities, he received the same response — go home for treatment.

Young, active and a non-smoker, Wilson was surprised when he started experiencing intermittent pain in his bladder. For several years, he was under the care of Urologist Bradley Boehm, D.O. At an appointment in May of 2021, Wilson was diagnosed with gross hematuria, which is when blood is present in the urine. Dr. Boehm completed a bladder scope which indicated his bladder looked abnormal. A urine cytology test, which examines a urine sample for abnormal cells that may indicate cancer or other urinary tract diseases, was completed. At this point, Dr. Boehm referred Wilson to a urologic oncologist at Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan Health.

Wilson’s bladder scope and biopsy at U of M also showed nothing obvious during the procedure, but the biopsy results a week later indicated bladder cancer. Then, on June 6, Wilson received the phone call and the news that he would need to have his bladder removed.

Just 10 days later, on June 16, Wilson had a seven-hour surgery to remove his bladder and create an ileal conduit with an urostomy bag. The good news from the surgery was all the margins were clear of cancer cells. However, four out of 15 of his lymph nodes were cancerous, indicating the cancer had spread outside the bladder.

Wilson’s next step was a consultation with a medical oncologist to discuss chemotherapy. U of M referred him to William Hitzelberger, D.O., medical oncologist and hematologist, at the Cancer Center at MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena.

“I’ve heard a lot of positive comments about the care at the Cancer Center in Alpena, and my wife and mother received excellent care at the Medical Center over the years, so it was reassuring to hear I could get the same course of treatment in Alpena that was recommended by U of M,” said Wilson. “It was so reassuring to hear that I could stay home near friends and family as I faced my cancer journey.”

Wilson completed his course of chemotherapy in January 2022 and then began a five-week course of radiation therapy to eliminate any cancer not detected on a scan and to prevent the reoccurrence of cancer in the pelvic area.

“Our radiation oncologist, Dr. Mario Lacerna, is a University of Michigan Health staff member and provides the same standard of care with the same equipment that is used in Ann Arbor,” explained Wilson. “Radiation therapy is a short visit to the Cancer Center, so it was nice to just travel just across town and sleep in my own bed every night.”

Follow-up care included a CT scan every three months right after surgery in 2021. His scans in 2021 and early 2022 showed no evidence of cancer, and he was feeling great.

“I enjoyed a summer of sailing and time with friends and family,” said Wilson. “It was great to feel good again.”

But, things changed late in 2022 when, a few short weeks after his regular scan, Wilson encountered some health issues which lead his provider to order a PET Scan. While a CT scan takes pictures to show images of a person’s body organs, a PET Scan shows how the patient’s cells react to a radiotracer which may indicate cancerous areas. This combination of tests helps providers identify abnormalities.

The test results revealed more than 25 lesions in Wilson’s liver, as well as lesions on his lung, spine and neck. He was diagnosed at a Stage 4 which indicated that cancer has spread to distant parts of the body.

“This second diagnosis hit hard,” Wilson shared. “Dr. Hitzelberger said the medication Keytruda had to be tried as it was my best shot. My cancer was advanced and, again, I sought a second opinion because I wanted to make sure I exhausted all avenues before I was going to let this cancer beat me.”

A trip to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota confirmed Dr. Hitzelberger’s diagnosis and treatment plan. Faced with an uncertain future, Wilson returned home to follow the treatment plan but also began looking at how fragile his life had become.

“With the uncertainty of how much longer I had, I began putting my affairs in order and even planned my funeral,” said Wilson. “Well, the odds were in my favor and the Keytruda became the miracle treatment one always hopes for when facing an aggressive cancer diagnosis.”

Wilson’s March 2023 CT scan confirmed what he was hoping for: no evidence of cancer present. To put his mind at ease, he traveled to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion. The second scan confirmed the first. Even so, his care team recommended he continue on the Keytruda given the aggressive nature of his bladder cancer.

“Dr. Hitzelberger said why would we want to stop something that has been proving it works,” Wilson said. “The medication does cause some fatigue, but I am so happy to be alive that it doesn’t even bother me.”

Wilson continues his follow-up scans and appointments with Dr. Hitzelberger and couldn’t be happier to be able to receive his care and treatments in Alpena.

“Without hesitation, University of Michigan and Mayo recommended I return home to Alpena, assuring me that they were delivering excellent care and that having the support of family and friends means a lot,” said Wilson.

From diagnosis to treatment, Wilson had no issues.

“From insurance verification, billing, medication approval, I didn’t have any concerns,” Wilson said. “The teams were fantastic and eliminated a stressor in my life so I could focus on my health.”

Wilson is so grateful to everyone he encountered. The kindness shared by staff during his treatments, the excellent quality of care from his medical team and the passion the nurses have for serving people made him feel confident he was in the right place for his care — home.

His treatment plan continues to go well. He and his wife Lynn are traveling, sailing, golfing, playing tennis and skiing in Alpena as well as in sunny Florida.

“I’m a different person than I was three years ago,” said Wilson. “It’s so amazing to have the excellent quality of care only 15 minutes from my Alpena home. Our hospital is a wonderful asset for our community.”

To learn more about the comprehensive cancer care programs at MyMichigan Health, visit mymichigan.org/cancer.