Life has been good for prostate cancer survivor

By MIKE MCCOY

Statesman Staff Writer

In 1994 George Cox was diagnosed with prostate cancer with a PSA count of 31.9. A normal PSA count is between 0-4. He underwent 38 radiation treatments, and his PSA count dropped to 5. Two weeks later it was down to 2. He has been cancer free ever since.

Many people know Cox. He was a teacher and coach in the Richland School District for 17 years, beginning as a social studies teacher in the 1961-62 school year. That was the first year after the Grayridge and Essex Districts were consolidated into the Richland School District. He coached basketball, baseball, track and girls volleyball for 15 years before retiring. He works at the Dexter Senior Center and serves in the SoutheastHEALTH Center of Stoddard County Auxiliary working the desk and the gift shop at the hospital.

Cox discovered he had prostate cancer at a complete physical at the Army Hospital at Fort Campbell, Ky. He was there as an army veteran. Right before he left, his wife, Bernice, suggested that he get his PSA count checked as a safe measure. His doctor was Dr. Robert Fisher who performed the checkup which included a PSA count. The count came back at 31.9, which sent Cox's head spinning when told what was normal.

Dr. Fisher did six biopsis on the prostate.

"I have good news and I have bad news," Cox says Fisher told him. "The good news is that two of the tests were negative and the bad news is that the other four were positive for cancer."

Cox says the fact that two of the tests were negative gave the doctor hope that the cancer had not spread. He asked Fisher what the next course of action would be.

Fisher responded there were three options: surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Fisher asked to choose among the three options, and told him that the treatment could extend his life by 12 to 15 years.

"I asked him which one he would choose," says Cox.

Fisher said if it were him, he would opt for radiation. Cox began the radiation treatments which totaled 38 in all at Danny Bell Cancer Treatment Center in Poplar Bluff. When completed, his PSA count was down to 5.

"Whoo whee, that sounded good to me," remembers Cox. Six weeks later he was tested again, and the level was 2.

Cox has been getting his PSA count checked regularly ever since. Just last week he got the results back, and the PSA count was 0.1.

"I've been cancer free for 19 years," Cox says with a grin.

Cox has some advice about the battle against cancer.

"An early diagnosis is the best way to beat cancer," Cox states. "Get checked regularly."

Cox remembers Ruby Miller who had cancer and defied the odds by living to be 90 years old, 40 years after she was diagnosed with the disease.

He also remembers a fellow teacher at Richland who was diagnosed with leukemia.

"The doctor told her she had three months to live," recalls Cox. "She told the doctor that she had been married for 48 years and there was a dance coming up that she planned to make."

The woman invited the doctor to come to the dance and dance with her because she was not going to die.

"She went out and bought a new car and a set of cookware," recalls Cox. "She made that dance and lived another 10 years.

"She wore out the car and the cookware had a lifetime warranty," laughs Cox.

Cox believes in never giving up, something he tried to instill in his teams when he was a coach.

"I have the Lord to thank, and I thank him every day," says Cox.

Cox began working at the Dexter Senior Center in 1994 prior to be diagnosed with cancer. The adminstrator at the time was Cissy Williams. He delivered meals for the Meals on Wheels program for 10 years, taking some time off when he was being treated for prostate cancer. He has worked for five administrators at the Senior Center. In addition to Williams, he worked under Pam Trammell, Julie Duckworth, Laura Stroder and now Dena Rawson.

"The administrators have all been so good," says Cox. "We have been so blessed to have such a good Senior Center in Dexter."

Cox stopped working at the Center when his wife had a heart attack in 2007. He stayed with her. His wife died seven months ago.

"She was the love of my life," says Cox. "We rode the bus together and were high school sweethearts."

"Dena called me and asked if I would come back to work at the Center," says Cox. "She wanted me back and offered to let me set my own hours."

Cox works on Tuesdays as the cashier and Thursdays in the office.

"It gets me out of the house," he says. "I really needed to get out, and this gives me something to do."

Cox really misses delivering meals. The delivery gave him a chance to meet a lot of people, some new and some old friends.

He also works the desk at the local hospital and sometimes in the gift shop as a member of the Auxiliary. Again, it is way for him to meet people and get out in the community.

Cox was born in Tennessee, the son of Hubert and Fronie Cox. His family moved to the Essex area in 1940. He attended schools at Essex, where he graduated from high school in 1952. He met Bernice Strickland while in school, and they made a life together. It lasted 59 years, 2 months and 2 days, Cox says without a pause.

Cox has lots of memories from his years as coach as well. He recalls great teams and many of the students who grew up under his care. He is basically an encylopedia when it comes to Richland sports and high school legends. He keeps track of as many of the students as he can. Since his retirement, he has been alarmed by the number of students that have died.

"I kept count of the ones that that died that played for me," says Cox. The number got up to 17 or 18 people, and he was having bad dreams at night.

"It was really bothering me," he explains.

"I didn't understand why I'm still here and they are gone."

"My wife told me to quit counting if it was going to bother me, so I did," he says.

Cox loves his work, people and life in a small town.

"I am so proud that the Lord has blessed me."