In 1998 Joe Bono thought he was a lucky man. After cancer was discovered on his kidney during a routine test for another reason, the kidney was removed and he was cancer free. But Joe’s luck would continue.

 

A lifetime smoker until 1998, Joe occasionally noticed a small amount of blood in his phlegm when he coughed. In 2001 he went to a pulmonologist about this who performed a bronchoscopy and discovered a cancerous tumor on Joe’s left lung, and that his lung was collapsed.

 

Joe was referred to Dr. Paul Kiernan who surgically removed the tumor and once again, Joe was cancer free.

 

Five years later, in 2006, Joe developed a severe cough and when doctors reviewed chest x-rays, they discovered cancerous tumors along Joe’s windpipe and trachea. For the third time, Joe had cancer.

 

Joe returned to Dr. Kiernan’s care and had two laser ablation treatments to remove the tumors. Now, Joe is seen every few months and takes medication aimed at preventing additional tumor growth.

 

Joe says he not only thinks very highly of Dr. Kiernan and the entire team at CVTSA, he also considers it a miracle that he is still alive.