DOCTORS OF INTEREST
84
The CANCER SURVIVOR
BY SIOBHAN FITZPATRICK AUSTIN
Four years ago, Dr. William McGarry, a father of three
and board-certified hematologist and oncologist
in Vero Beach, developed esophageal cancer. As
many in Vero are aware, Bill, as he is known, beat
it, but few know that he attributes his recovery, which was
remarkable, less to modern medicine and more to his faith,
something he nurtures on a daily basis.
Almost every day, Bill, a Roman Catholic, attends Mass.
“I pray for all of my patients past and present, living and
deceased, whenever I go there,” he says. And now his healing
prayers include an unexpected patient ― his wife Laura,
who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April.
When Laura’s gynecologist told her the result of the biopsy
she was shocked, even though she and Bill suspected it after
he did a breast exam and discovered a lump that had not
been there a month before, suggesting fast growth. But suspecting
and knowing are too different things, and Laura was
loath to tell her husband, who was scheduled to take a Board
of Internal Medicine exam in three days.
“My first thought was I have to avoid telling Bill until after
his exam,” says Laura, who is a nurse and works parttime at
Bill’s office. Another concern had to do with a trip that she
and Bill were scheduled to go on in a few weeks to Lourdes,
France, a Catholic holy site whose natural spring waters are
believed by many to have miraculous healing properties.
“My second thought was that we had a much anticipated pilgrimage
to Lourdes in 2 1/2 and unless I tell Bill ASAP and get
the necessary testing started, it may interfere with our trip,”
says Laura, who is also Catholic.
Laura did tell her husband before the exam (which he
passed), and both were grateful that her surgery could be
scheduled for one week later, allowing them to still go to
Lourdes, something the couple were looking forward to more
than ever, given Laura’s diagnosis.
Lourdes, after all, had played an important role in Bill’s
healing. Back in 2011, when he learned he had advanced
stage esophageal cancer with a 5 percent survival rate, he
expected to die soon. Bill now believes a miracle happened
the day after his diagnosis, when the family priest stopped
by to pray with him, Laura, and their three children. After
the family finished praying, the priest gave Bill some spring
water from Lourdes. Incredibly, six weeks later, after only one
round of chemotherapy, the same physician who diagnosed
his tumor did a second endoscopy and was awed at what
he found. “He said he no longer saw any tumor, just mild
redness, and said if he hadn’t seen his tumor six weeks prior
he would never believe Bill had cancer six weeks before,”
recounts Laura.
When Laura learned of her diagnosis this past spring, she
immediately blessed herself, making the sign of the cross
with water from Lourdes. “The holy water is not used superstitiously,
but with prayer,” says Laura, echoing the sentiments
of her husband. “The Lourdes water helps me focus
my prayers and faith.”
A week later Laura had the surgery, a double mastectomy,
and 10 days after that she and Bill were on a flight to
Dr. McGarry
is a wellrespected
hematologist
and oncologist
in Vero Beach.
>> ED DRONDOSKI
Treasure Coast Medical Report