Veteran says cancer care at VA got him to his daughter’s wedding
By Jesus Flores, VISN 19 writer & editor
Mark Denney is a physician assistant in Surgery at Oklahoma City VA Health Care System. When something felt wrong in his throat, he turned to the same place where he helps fellow Veterans heal.
A lifetime of service
Denney served in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1991 as an operating room technician. He worked in a trauma hospital in El Paso, Texas, and spent 2 years in Berlin, Germany, assisting with surgeries. He helped deliver every set of twins born at the Army hospital between 1987 and 1989.
After separating from service, he became a physician assistant. He joined Oklahoma City VA in 2015.
The pain that wouldn’t quit
In December 2019, Denney felt a sharp pain that ran from his jaw to his right ear.
At first, he thought it was a dental or ear infection, but the pain didn’t go away. Swallowing became hard, food lost its flavor and he began to lose weight.
A biopsy confirmed cancer at the base of his tongue that had already spread to nearby lymph nodes.
“It was a punch in the gut,” Denney said. “I’d spent years helping other Veterans recover. Now I needed help.”
Treatment he could trust
Denney’s treatment at Oklahoma City VA Medical Center included 35 radiation sessions and 3 rounds of chemotherapy.
The team made a plastic mask that fit tightly over his face and shoulders to keep his head still during each session. The radiation was delivered using a machine called a linear accelerator, which moved around him and hit the tumor with high-energy beams.
“We start by taking images of the tumor to see its exact size and shape,” said Ashley Arres, chief radiation therapist at Oklahoma City VAMC. “We use those images to shape the radiation beam, so it matches the tumor. The machine moves around and delivers radiation from different angles, hitting only the cancer and protecting the parts of the throat he still needed for everyday life.”
Treatment wasn’t easy. The pain made eating impossible, and Denney lost 60 pounds. His team placed a feeding tube to keep him strong enough to finish.
“They never left me hanging,” he said. “They checked on me every day, made adjustments and treated me like family.”
A reason to keep going
Through it all, Denney held on to one goal, walking his daughter down the aisle.
“The thought of missing her wedding tore me up,” he said through tears. “That’s what kept me going.”
When treatment ended, he rang the bell. A year and a half later, he walked his daughter down the aisle and even invited his radiation oncologist to celebrate with them.
“I was so honored and touched that Mr. Denney included me in the wedding of his daughter,” said Dr. Teresa Craig. “It was so joyful! Now he has a brand-new grandbaby!”
Denney credits Dr. Craig and the radiation oncology team for saving his life.
Back to work with a new perspective
Denney returned to work at Oklahoma City VA. He still helps Veterans after surgery and is more aware of the fear and fatigue that come with recovery.
“I knew I’d get good care here,” he said. “Going through it myself, I saw how much everyone here cares. They treated me like we treat every Veteran.”
Learn more
Oklahoma City VA offers cancer care, including advanced radiation therapy and family support. Learn more about radiation oncology at Oklahoma City VA
Jesus Flores is a writer and editor on the VISN 19 Creative Task Force and a Marine Corps Veteran