Fred’s Story: “That sense of community is so important.”

20 Years of Impact: 20 Voices of BCAN

For two decades, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) has been a beacon of hope, support, and advocacy for patients and their loved ones. As we celebrate 20 years of collective progress, we honor the voices that have shaped this journey—those who have faced bladder cancer with resilience, and those who have provided unwavering support.

Through our 20 Voices initiative, we are sharing powerful personal stories that highlight the impact of bladder cancer and the strength of our community. These voices reflect the challenges, triumphs, and hope that define BCAN’s mission for better todays and more tomorrows for all those impacted by bladder cancer. 

For Frederick Loomis, a decade-long battle with cancer took yet another unexpected turn. After defying the odds against pancreatic cancer, a routine scan meant to mark a milestone instead revealed a new fight ahead. Navigating multiple cancer centers, clinical trials, and rigorous treatments, he faced this challenge with resilience, faith, and the unwavering support of loved ones. Through it all, he’s learned that the power of community, expert care, and a steadfast mindset can make all the difference. Now, as he embraces this next chapter, his journey is a testament to survival, hope, and the strength found in facing the unknown. Read Fred’s story here:

I am a bladder cancer patient, and although I’m relatively new to this specific diagnosis, my history with cancer goes back a decade. In 2014, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and against all odds, I’m now celebrating being a 10-year survivor. Ironically, the day after I celebrated that milestone, I had an MRI as part of my ongoing surveillance. That scan revealed a lesion in my bladder, marking the start of a new cancer journey. This was just this past September of 2024. Due to this active surveillance, my cancer was diagnosed quickly.

Since then, I’ve consulted with two cancer centers, and undergone two procedures: a TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor) to biopsy the lesion, followed by a second TURBT five weeks later. I have entered a clinical trial, received initial treatment and I will soon undergo my third TURBT procedure. 

I encourage all cancer patients to seek second and sometimes third opinions from Oncologists and to consider entering a clinical trial. During my journey with pancreatic cancer, I visited five cancer centers for opinions on a treatment plan.  After my initial diagnosis of bladder cancer, I sought treatment at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, and within a week I was scheduled for my first TURBT. I decided to seek a second opinion at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where I am now under the care of Dr. Rosalia Viterbo.

Dr. Viterbo’s approach was very patient-centered from the start. During my initial consultation, she handed me a BCAN Bladder Cancer Basics handbook, which I had already seen online. Nevertheless, her gesture demonstrated her dedication to patient education, which made me feel supported. Dr. Viterbo also understands that she is not only treating me but caring for my family as well.  I have continued my care under her guidance at Fox Chase, not just because of her expertise but also due to the exceptional quality of the nursing staff there. Nursing care has been critical in my bladder cancer journey—especially with procedures like scoping and BCG treatments. Especially with urologic care, it is vital to have experienced, skilled and compassionate nurses. I have found the nurses at Fox Chase Cancer Center to be the very best!

Now, I have completed my initial BCG treatments as part of the BRIDGE clinical trial. This trial compares BCG treatment with chemotherapy using gemcitabine. Having been assigned to BCG, I feel fortunate because I learned at the BCAN Patient Summit that there is currently a shortage of the BCG drug. Knowing this, I feel lucky to receive the full dosage as part of this clinical trial. I have experienced no side effects from the BCG treatments.  I’ll continue this treatment journey, which I hope will be another step toward long-term survivorship.

My history with cancer has been long and challenging. When I was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2014, I vividly remember asking the doctor who performed my biopsy, “Will I live to see Christmas?” His answer, “I can’t tell you that,” stuck with me. I later realized this is a standard response because cancer is so unpredictable, but at the time, I took it to mean I had months to live, or, if I was lucky, a few years. I didn’t qualify for surgery—the Whipple procedure, the only curative option for pancreatic cancer—because of the tumor’s location and the presence of a thrombus in my superior mesenteric vein. Instead, I embarked on an intense treatment plan: 56 rounds of chemotherapy over two and a half years, five weeks of radiation (including proton therapy), and a liver ablation procedure when the cancer metastasized. Despite these challenges, my tumor never shrank, but it also didn’t grow.

After 2017, I entered active surveillance and remained off treatment until this year. In the meantime, I’ve continued living my life to the fullest. I turned my focus to my family, including my grandchildren, and set up an educational trust to support their futures. I also kept working, teaching online graduate courses, which gave me a sense of purpose and connection.

When I received my bladder cancer diagnosis in September 2024, my first reaction was to treat it as another challenge to manage. Compared to my journey with pancreatic cancer—which has a five-year survival rate of only 8-9% even with surgery—this felt like a more optimistic battle. While this is technically my fourth cancer diagnosis (I also had Mohs surgery for skin cancer on my nose), I feel grateful for the opportunity to tackle a form of cancer with more options and a higher success rate.

Attending the BCAN Patient Summit in Philadelphia was a pivotal moment for me. As a Philadelphia resident, it felt serendipitous that the conference was held here right when I was beginning this new chapter. The program was incredibly informative, and meeting other bladder cancer survivors—some of whom have been thriving for 10-15 years—gave me a lot of hope. I also learned about the importance of developing a survivorship plan, something I believe should be a standard part of care for all cancer patients. Dr. Viterbo and the team at Fox Chase have already made me feel like I’m in excellent hands.

Through it all, I’ve tried to stay positive and focus on others rather than dwelling on myself. That mindset was reinforced early on by my podiatrist, who advised me not to focus on my illness but instead to stay positive for the sake of those around me. It’s a philosophy I’ve carried with me ever since. My wife, who is my rock, always reminds me to “hold God’s hand,” and together, we’ve faced each challenge with faith and hope.

As I approach my 70th birthday and celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary, I feel profoundly grateful for the milestones I’ve reached. I’ve been able to see my grandchildren grow, celebrate their accomplishments, and create lasting memories with them through trips and family adventures. My oldest granddaughter just started her first year at Penn State and my oldest grandson has also been accepted to Penn State this year.  Seeing them embark on this new chapter has been one of the greatest joys of my life.

I know this journey isn’t over, but I’m ready to face it with the same determination and resilience that have carried me through the past decade. Cancer is unpredictable, but I’ve learned to take it one day at a time, stay informed, and lean on the support of my loved ones and care team. Life is a gift, and I’m determined to make the most of it.

Having people check in with you is important. I have a close and very special friend. We went through graduate school together, and we’d go out for breakfast and lunch sometimes. We stayed in touch and had a lot of shared experiences. At the time, I was working at Penn State, commuting from Philadelphia to State College. I stayed there during the week, so I had that to deal with. On top of that, I had just taken on a new responsibility for Penn State, which came with a lot of stress. That probably was a contributing factor to my diagnosis—stress isn’t good for any part of your life, and if you can reduce it, that’s always a positive thing.

When I was diagnosed, he was one of the first people I confided in. I shared what was happening, and I broke down crying. He said, “Listen, Fred, I’m going to call you on Sunday night.” It was a Thursday, and I was seeing a doctor the next day. I said, “Maybe I’ll have some answers, but I’m not sure.” He replied, “You don’t have to call me Sunday night. I’m going to call you at seven.” I said, “Okay, all right.” And sure enough, at seven on Sunday, he called me. I told him, “I don’t have the results yet from this test. I might know something next week.” He said, “I’m going to call you next Sunday at seven.” I told him, “Mike, you don’t have to call me next week.” But he said, “Oh, I’m going to call you next week at seven.” I said, “That’s fine.”

For the last 10 years, every Sunday night at seven, he has called me. I think having support beyond just your family is critical. You expect your family to rally around you and be supportive, but friends and colleagues play such an important role too. And then there’s the patient community—those people are very generous and giving. I’ve tried to pay that forward by helping others with advice when I can. BCAN has a great program in Survivor to Survivor, and I just feel like I don’t know enough yet to fully step into the role of a “survivor friend,” but eventually, I will. Once I have more information and knowledge, I’ll be able to offer that same kind of support to others. That sense of community—whether it’s family, friends, or people who understand what you’re going through—is so important.

Staying positive is also critical. I try to be very clinical when I talk about my situation. I want to answer questions honestly and in a way that’s helpful. Sometimes, I think it’s interesting, and sharing the details might even give someone a little knowledge they can pass on. But I don’t dismiss it or brush it off with, “Oh, I’m great.” Instead, I say, “This is what’s happening with my treatment plan, this is what I can expect, and this is how I’m feeling.”  And I always remind people to learn about their cancer, have gratitude every day, and have faith by “holding God’s hand” each step of their journey.