Lymphoma Survivor Finds Quality Care Close to Home

For retired actor and longtime Kansas City transplant Jerry Fogel, there was no script for dealing with his cancer diagnosis. Jerry was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2008 after a persistent cough wouldn’t go away.

He met with oncologist Mark Davidner, MD. Today, Jerry continues to receive follow-up care from Dr. Davidner, who cheers him on in his remission.

Jerry, who says his first career was in the military, may best be remembered for his role as Jerry Buell on the 1960s television sitcom The Mothers-in-Law, directed by Desi Arnaz. His handsome good looks and talent also earned the actor roles in movies like Tora! Tora! Tora! and other television classics in the 1960s and 1970s.

Today, the Leawood, Kansas, resident thinks back to how a short stint at 1 of Kansas City’s dinner theaters decades ago must have been fate – because he would benefit from advanced healthcare available right here.

“The University of Kansas Hospital and their cancer center are responsible for keeping me around,” Jerry says of his experience as a patient. In addition to his lymphoma treatment at the cancer center, he received open heart surgery in 2010 at The University of Kansas Health System.

After his cancer diagnosis, Jerry underwent a rigorous chemotherapy regimen for 2 years. Today, he receives chemotherapy every 3 months to keep his lymphoma at bay. Yet he never dreads his visits with the care team at The University of Kansas Hospital – South.

“The nurses are the most painless nurses in the history of mankind,” says Jerry. “And Dr. Davidner is someone I liked and respected instantly. He’s professional, knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. How could you ask for more?”

As fate would have it, the handsome actor has never lost his hair from chemotherapy treatment – which makes his regular trips to the cancer center even better. In fact, Jerry refers to his checkups as something he looks forward to.