The Comeback
In 2010, at age 45, Russell Cilibraise should have felt at the top of his game. Living in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, he had just passed his 20th anniversary working for the State of Michigan. He exercised regularly, enjoying roller blading, kayaking, and other strenuous activities.
Suddenly, he developed a persistent cough and overwhelming fatigue. He went to the doctor but his tests were inconclusive. Then, he saw blood in his urine. Russ’s doctor ordered a CT scan, which revealed a tumor in his left kidney. Surgeons removed the kidney, but within a few months the cancer had spread to his lungs.
“I was pretty scared. I asked the doctor, ‘What’s an expectation for how long I’ll live?’” Russ says. “Probably anywhere from three to five years.”
Russ’s first thought was for his son and daughter and how they were going to be provided for. “I was a lot more concerned and scared inside than what I was sharing with them.”
In November 2010, Russ’s urologist told him there was a clinical trial for a new drug called nivolumab which was closing within weeks. Unfortunately, blood tests indicated that Russ’s hemoglobin levels were too low for entry. “It was the week before Christmas. I was thinking it was probably my last,” says Russ.
But finally, a stroke of luck. A follow-up blood test indicated that his hemoglobin level was now just high enough to meet the clinical trial criteria. He entered on the last day of admission.
After his first two treatments, Russ’s energy and strength improved significantly.
By January 2016, the scans did not show any tumors. Russ’s doctors stopped treatments.
“I feel great now. I really feel like I’m physically in as good a condition as I was prior to getting the cancer,” Russ says.
Perhaps no one is more thankful than Russ’s children. Says daughter Rachel, “If I could thank Bristol-Myers Squibb and all the people who made the drug personally, I would shake all of their hands and say, ‘Thank you for helping my dad.’”
A love for the outdoors–and for his children–helped keep Russ focused on regaining energy and strength.