Marvin in for the fight of his life

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

(7/05/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- We have some sobering news about a member of our Eyewitness News family. Action 13's Marvin Zindler has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

He's been a member of our family for nearly 35 years and in all those years, he's been totally open with all of us about his surgeries, from open heart surgery to cosmetic procedures. And this evening, he wants to share his latest battle with you, too. Below is text and video of what Marvin had to say from his hospital room on Thursday. Marvin Zindler: Well folks, for the past 34 and a half years, I've always told you about my health problems. I've always told it upfront and tonight I'm going to tell you some more.

Back in 1979, I had my first open heart surgery here at Methodist Hospital. Dr. George Noon did the operation and it was a success. I went on in 1984, 85, somewhere in there, I had by gall bladder taken out by Dr. George Noon. Everything came out fine.

In 1994, I had prostate cancer. I told you folks about it. And I had my radiation done here at Methodist Hospital by Dr. Butler, an oncologist. And here I am again 13 years later and the prostate cancer is no longer giving me a problem and my PSA is 0.7.

Now in 1994, I had another open heart surgery, a five bypass. Dr. George Noon did the operation here at Methodist Hospital.

Now we come along with a lot of different cosmetic surgeries that I've had here and here I am almost 86 still sitting here on this set. That doesn't mean I'm handsome, it doesn't mean anything; it just means I have been very lucky and I've been gifted.

Now again on July 1st, I came in because I thought it was my heart again. And they did all kinds of test and finally they did a CAT scan. And they found in this CAT scan a mass, a cancer in my liver and my pancreas. Well, I know everybody thinks that's a fatal disease and it is, but you have to take treatment for it and you have to stay with it. I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me because I am almost 86 years old, next month in August. Most people are dead when they are 65 or 70 and I am lucky to be alive at 86.

But I want you to hear from Dr McKechnie. He is one of my doctors that handles this kind of health problem and he'll explain it to you in a very short phrase.

Dr John McKechnie: Thank you Marvin. It is true that he came in because of chest problems and coincidentally was found to have problems with his liver on the CAT scan that was done of his chest. We made the CAT scan go lower into the abdomen and found he had a tumor on the pancreas which had spread to his liver. And this is being addressed by an oncologist, he's already on chemotherapy and you can look at him and tell that it has done nothing but good for him. He has a disease that is difficult to diagnose. The pancreas is very hard to get to so to speak, It's in front of the spine and behind the stomach but he had it well demonstrated on his CAT scan. We will continue with treatment and we trust that Marvin will be a responder and will do well.

Marvin Zindler, Eyewitness News!

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