Faith and Confidence: The Inspiration of James “Rhio” O’Connor
by Emily Foley
For years, physicians wondered what went on in the human body. What was inside? What allowed the body to digest food, to walk, or to fight off disease? Although it is unknown who cut open the first body to discover what was inside, it was a revolutionary idea that has allowed for a significant increase in medical research and prognosis. It lead first to drawings of the human anatomy by Andreas Vesalius in the sixteenth century1, and later to the creation of the popular Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body in 19182, with developments still to come well throughout the future. Revolutionary ideas and creating one’s own research are gateways to a plethora of future research and medical treatments. This knowledge is exactly what fueled James “Rhio” O’Connor to research his own condition in his battle with mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer caused by overexposure to asbestos, and is becoming increasingly diagnosed. Pleural mesothelioma, which Rhio O’Connor was diagnosed with, is one type of mesothelioma. It starts in the pleura, which is a thin layer in the lungs, and spreads to the abdomen and heart very rapidly. Common remedies to mesothelioma are chemotherapy and radiotherapy, if the cancer is found early enough. However, according to mesothelioma.com, mesothelioma is also “…a cancer that is particularly difficult for doctors to diagnose and one that does not respond well to therapy.”3 This explains why Rhio O’Connor took his treatment into his own hands.
Rhio was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in October 2001. He was sixty-one years old, and told that he had less than a year to live. Rhio was also told that his tumor could not be taken out through surgery because it was too close to his spine, and that chemotherapy was not a viable option, as it would not allow him to live much longer. Instead of accepting that he would only live for a little while longer, Rhio decided to work with doctors, conduct research, and interview other patients in order to make informed decisions on his condition. With this help, Rhio not only created a new way of life to treat his mesothelioma, he also survived for six more years.4 As Mr. O’Connor said, “There is always a tomorrow, but never a yesterday. You cannot change the past, but you can always use what you learned in the past to make better decisions now.”5 Rhio did just that: he used his past knowledge and his research in order to lengthen his life and to strengthen himself in his battle with cancer.
Unfortunately, Rhio’s situation is not uncommon. For many people diagnosed with serious forms of cancer, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery are not practical forms of treatment. Thus, Rhio’s success with an alternative treatment is truly inspirational to these cancer patients.
This leads me to consider a single question: what if I was one of those patients, diagnosed with an almost incurable form of cancer? Certainly Rhio O’Connor’s story would remain inspirational to me. Common treatments would have little to offer, so I would have to look past them to an alternative treatment like Mr. O’Connor did.
As Rhio did, I would also change my diet, take additional supplements like vitamins and minerals, and participate in a form of ‘mind-body medicine’. For this mind-body medicine, I would use the moral and spiritual healing methods that Rhio used. Based on my Christian background, this mind-body medicine would include taking on a positive attitude, and participating in a lot of prayer. I agree with Winston Churchill, who said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” By remaining optimistic and determined, I believe that I would be stronger in my battle against cancer, and would be able to develop a treatment that would allow me to survive longer than my single year prognosis. Praying would allow me to ask for God’s help in curing my disease.
Additionally, I am currently a Biomedical Engineering student, and have experience in research. Using my engineering and research backgrounds, I would do my best to create a treatment similar to Rhio’s, but I would also try to develop some type of device or implant that would regulate the growth of the tumor, and hopefully get rid of the tumor. Although Rhio’s tumor could not be taken out by surgery, the development of an implantable device to deal with the tumor is always possible with research in the future. Talking to established researchers in the field of biomedical engineering, as well as looking at scientific journal articles, reading case studies, and interviewing current patients would allow me to determine the best way to make this device.
In his book They Said Months, I Chose Years! A Mesothelioma Survivor’s Story, Rhio O’Connor said, “How important is self-sufficiency in surviving mesothelioma or any other cancer? I think it is vital. You have to possess the faith and confidence to make right treatment decisions. Many patients spend hours, days, or weeks second-guessing themselves about what they would have or could have or should have done. This is very unproductive.” In his inspirational and successful battle against cancer, Rhio O’Connor has taught cancer patients and others in dreary places that a positive outlook, self-sufficiency, and research can lead to informed consent when choosing a treatment, and can even lengthen one’s life. Throughout my own life, whether or not I am diagnosed with cancer, I hope to take Rhio O’Connor’s ideals to heart and to always possess both the faith and confidence to make informed decisions.
