Dennis Jeter, 84, is fighting cancer with faith, a determined attitude, and a relentless competitive spirit.
When he was diagnosed with melanoma, he told Dr. Lance Cowey, his oncologist at Texas Oncology–Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, that he was not going to let melanoma beat him.
Finding the right treatment took several tries, but Dennis was determined to make it through and get back to his softball tournaments. Even during treatment, he kept active, riding a stationary bike indoors.
He also kept working in the business that he runs with his son and daughter, and stayed involved with his church, where dozens of friends prayed for him.
“I had so many people at my church praying for me and encouraging me,” Dennis said. “They kept my spirits high, and I was determined to get through treatment and get back to doing what I love – working with my children, playing softball with my team, and doing what I can to give back.”
The immunotherapy and radiation treatment option he chose with his doctor enabled him to keep doing the activities he loves. Dennis describes it as, “exploding the cancer with radiation and washing it out with immunotherapy.”
His side effects were never severe enough to make him inactive or keep him from work. His son Tim says it’s like his father’s cancer was just a blip on the radar.
“I’d offer to drive him to treatment, every day for a year, but he always turned me down,” Tim said. “It makes me smile to see him do things that 95 percent of people his age can’t do. His attitude and his faith are a measuring stick that I use on myself every day.”
Almost six months after his final treatment, Dennis is determined to get back to what he loves doing best — competing. He recently played with his team in a national softball tournament. With Dennis at bat, cancer doesn’t stand a chance.