December 15, 2009 the lives of the LaSalle family were flipped upside down. Robert, only 46 at the time, the man, who took care of everyone from his wife and kids to hundreds of soccer kids to his employees, was told he was dying. The doctor said he needed to get his affairs in order, to go home and enjoy the holidays with his loved ones. He was diagnosed with stage 4 incurable esophageal cancer. When the news came back that it was a very rare form of esophageal cancer things looked very bleak. Robert had small cell cancer in his esophagus and liver. Certainly not the typical places for small cell cancer to set up housekeeping, doctors in the area were not exactly sure how to treat him or even if treating him would help. So the journey began.
Within four months, and while in active treatment, the doctors found a second type of cancer in Robert’s esophagus. He now had both small cell carcinoma AND adenocarcinoma. This made things a little more complicated. Both types of cancers have very low survival rates. Once again Robert was given less than 90 days to live.
Still Robert did not give up. He found doctors in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Cancer Treatment Centers of America who were willing to treat him and had good results. Robert made it past the 30 to 90 days he was initially given to live and then past the second 90-day survival expectation. Eventually his treatment took him to UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas where he had surgery to remove his stomach and part of his esophagus. Within a month of the surgery new liver tumors were found and treatment continued. By May of 2011 Robert had outlived all expectations. He’d had 15 rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiation and surgery. Next on the agenda was moving a faulty feeding tube so that his weight could be stabilized. That surgery took place in September. Following the new feeding tube placement was a liver biopsy at Baylor Cancer Center in Dallas that revealed the liver tumors to be small cell cancer. Robert was once again in treatment having weekly chemo at Baylor Cancer Center in Dallas.
When Robert was diagnosed the oncologist told Becky that she had to shut down her in home daycare of 27 years because the germs that children naturally carry could be fatal to Robert. So with great sadness Becky closed the doors of her daycare in January of 2010. Robert continued to try working both from home and on a modified work schedule for a few months after his diagnosis however it became obvious that he would have to go on SSDI.
In the years that Robert didn't think he'd get, he saw the birth of his twin grandsons and his daughter Emily graduated high school and left to attend college at the University of Texas at Austin. He flew a helicopter, went on a fishing trip with his family & friends, went to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA, was “egg’d” by Bunnies & Badges, took his soccer team to the NTSSA Tournament of Champions where they won second place, took the team to the Quickfoot National 4v4 Tournament where they won 1st place, celebrated birthdays, holidays and welcomed his 4th grandchild, Edisyn to the family! He and wife Becky LaSalle celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary that year as well. There were many blessings as a result of Robert’s will to live and courage to keep fighting!
In order to continue fighting for his life, fundraisers became a necessity. In 2010 the community came together to support a rummage sale to benefit the family. Over the course of 2011 there were a couple of Scentsy parties, t-shirt sales, and independent donations made to Robert’s benefit account that is set up at First State Bank in Gainesville, TX. November 4, 2011 a BBQ dinner and silent auction was organized by Kristy Spainhour. There was an ongoing Cyber Fundraiser as well.
Robert defied the odds for four years and because of this many of his friends and family referred to him as “Superman”.
Within four months, and while in active treatment, the doctors found a second type of cancer in Robert’s esophagus. He now had both small cell carcinoma AND adenocarcinoma. This made things a little more complicated. Both types of cancers have very low survival rates. Once again Robert was given less than 90 days to live.
Still Robert did not give up. He found doctors in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Cancer Treatment Centers of America who were willing to treat him and had good results. Robert made it past the 30 to 90 days he was initially given to live and then past the second 90-day survival expectation. Eventually his treatment took him to UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas where he had surgery to remove his stomach and part of his esophagus. Within a month of the surgery new liver tumors were found and treatment continued. By May of 2011 Robert had outlived all expectations. He’d had 15 rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiation and surgery. Next on the agenda was moving a faulty feeding tube so that his weight could be stabilized. That surgery took place in September. Following the new feeding tube placement was a liver biopsy at Baylor Cancer Center in Dallas that revealed the liver tumors to be small cell cancer. Robert was once again in treatment having weekly chemo at Baylor Cancer Center in Dallas.
When Robert was diagnosed the oncologist told Becky that she had to shut down her in home daycare of 27 years because the germs that children naturally carry could be fatal to Robert. So with great sadness Becky closed the doors of her daycare in January of 2010. Robert continued to try working both from home and on a modified work schedule for a few months after his diagnosis however it became obvious that he would have to go on SSDI.
In the years that Robert didn't think he'd get, he saw the birth of his twin grandsons and his daughter Emily graduated high school and left to attend college at the University of Texas at Austin. He flew a helicopter, went on a fishing trip with his family & friends, went to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA, was “egg’d” by Bunnies & Badges, took his soccer team to the NTSSA Tournament of Champions where they won second place, took the team to the Quickfoot National 4v4 Tournament where they won 1st place, celebrated birthdays, holidays and welcomed his 4th grandchild, Edisyn to the family! He and wife Becky LaSalle celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary that year as well. There were many blessings as a result of Robert’s will to live and courage to keep fighting!
In order to continue fighting for his life, fundraisers became a necessity. In 2010 the community came together to support a rummage sale to benefit the family. Over the course of 2011 there were a couple of Scentsy parties, t-shirt sales, and independent donations made to Robert’s benefit account that is set up at First State Bank in Gainesville, TX. November 4, 2011 a BBQ dinner and silent auction was organized by Kristy Spainhour. There was an ongoing Cyber Fundraiser as well.
Robert defied the odds for four years and because of this many of his friends and family referred to him as “Superman”.