'I get to watch my daughters grow up'

With 10 body piercings and a tattoo that covers much of his right arm, Jason Shults looks every bit a tough guy. But his eyes fill with tears when he talks about the head and neck cancer that, by all odds, could have claimed his life.

 “I was tested for two types of head and neck cancer,” he says. “One is more easily treatable than the other. Turned out I had the bad kind.”

He credits Dr. Matthew Old, assistant professor and head and neck surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, with saving his life.

“’We’re going to get you through this.’ That’s what Dr. Old and my cancer team said to me. They fought this disease right along with me,” said Shults, who was diagnosed in June 2012.

Shults had no idea cancer was the culprit early on. He went to the doctor to get checked for a staph infection, which was the size of a baseball and was cutting off his air supply. Just to be sure, cancer and tumor specialists were brought in on his case, and Dr. Old’s rotation happened to be that day. But cancer-wise, nothing seemed amiss.

Shults came back two weeks later for a follow-up, and his staph infection wound still wasn’t healing. A biopsy was ordered. Not long after, Shults received a text message to call Dr. Old right away.

“He said, ‘I hate to do this over the phone, but you have nasopharyngeal carcinoma,’” Shults said. “We were at stage four, and it was a whirlwind at that point. It’s still kind of a blur to be honest with you.”

Shults had 33 sessions of radiation treatment followed by three different types of chemotherapy because the cancer was so advanced.

“I was told it was one of the nastiest treatments to go through, but they were coming at it with the intention of curing it,” Shults said. “It’s one of the most degrading things a person has to go through. Your body betrays you. I would go every two weeks for chemotherapy, and with three sessions at the James Cancer Hospital, I spent all day there. Often I would pass out and hit the floor.”

The date he will never forget is Dec. 17, 2013. Shults had his final surgery that day. When Dr. Old came out of the operating room, Shults’ family came running down the hallway. “They wanted to hear the words, and Dr. Old was adamant, ‘He is cancer free I am proud to report,’” Shults said.

“Cancer research and Matthew Old saved my life. This is why I get to watch my three daughters — Jessica (20), Grace (15) and Emma (14) — grow up. It’s that simple.”

Dr. Old’s work has been supported in part by a fund created in the name of Joan Levy Bisesi, who passed away from head and neck cancer in 2001. Many of the donors to “Joan’s Fund” are her close friends and family. Many also are Ohio State faculty and staff. Jason recently had the opportunity to meet Nancy Thompson, a friend of Joan’s who supports the fund with her Campus Campaign gift.

 “Meeting Nancy was an important moment in my life because donors like Nancy are life-savers, too,” said Shults, who plans to double his own investment this year during the Campus Campaign to the general James Cancer Fund. “Advancements in cancer treatments don’t happen without funding.”

Jason is a senior graphics designer at Ohio State, and part of his work has been to create Campus Campaign posters and brochures. Even though Campus Campaign is familiar to him, he admits that meeting Nancy was eye-opening.

“Nancy gives to Joan’s Fund. Joan’s Fund supports Dr. Old’s research. Thanks to Dr. Old, I’m now cancer-free.” Shults shakes his head and laughs. “Pretty cool. I’ll try to be worth her investment every day.

“I live every day with a smile, and it’s a privilege. People get sick of me saying that word, but it’s the truth. That’s what cancer will teach you. It teaches you perspective. We are not bulletproof and won’t be here forever. What do you want to do while you’re here?”