Paula Odenbeck, longtime member of the RWC Registration Office staff, passed away on January 8, after battling Stage Four colon cancer for two years. Her illness had been discovered in December of 2002, when doctors found two tumors during surgery for a hysterectomy and removal of her appendix.”No one could have known how sick Paula actually was,” said Debbie Smith, Director of Registration. “She carried on each day in her usual fashion, lighthearted, conversational, and always dedicated to her responsibilities within the department.”
Kathy Schmadel, Senior Admissions Officer, shared, “I could count on Paula; she would take on any task that needed to be done. She always stayed busy and loved her work.”
Smith explained Paula’s reaction when she had been nominated and awarded a bonus for her work in the Registration Office. Paula appeared more thrilled at the recognition she received than with being awarded the one-thousand dollar bonus.
Paula modestly asked co-workers,”Why would I get a bonus?” Though Paula’s humble nature prevented her from realizing how much she was appreciated for all she did for the department, everyone felt that she was an irreplaceable member of the RWC family, appreciative of her dedication and ongoing contributions.
“It worked out so well that Paula was brought to RWC after working at main campus for 21 years. She fit right in and always contributed good, logical, ideas,” Smith said
As Paula’s cancer progressed and challenges of managing the illness mounted, she maintained a work schedule of four hours a day. Her co-workers created a calendar which they used to alternate days for car pooling to work.
Schmadel shared an endearing story as testament to Paula’s upbeat nature. In November, 2004, Paula took a cruise with family. Her husband awoke to discover his wife absent from his side. He wandered the ship, only to find her at the disco, dancing at 12:30 a.m.
Smith and Schmadel told of the difficulties in managing the absence of Paula in their lives. Schmadel described the afternoon that she retrieved files from Paula’s computer, unable to continue when coming across retirement plan documents and various letters written to friends and co-workers.
The women described the kindness and genuine friendships formed with Paula though their work relationship. Shortly after Paula underwent surgery, Smith’s husband, Bobby, experienced an accident with a table saw and lost several of his fingers. Though she had just been through surgery and faced a stark diagnosis, Paula expressed heartfelt sympathy by sending Bobby a beer and snack package, wishing him a quick recovery. Schmadel told The Activist about the day she complained to Paula about her January 4 birthday being too close to the holidays. Paula then secretly planned a half-year birthday party for Schmadel in June 2004, giving her a hand-made afghan comprised of her favorite colors. As Paula carried on without openly displaying any emotion over her diagnosis, co-workers found her strength astounding. “She was an inspiration,” expressed Schmadel.
“She was a kind, giving, and simple person,” says Schmadel. “She seemed oblivious to her condition. We would ask her during the work day, ‘How ya doin’ Paula,’ and she always replied, ‘Just peachy!'” Eerily, soon after Paula’s passing, Schmadel was at home during the weekend, working on a newspaper word jumble that revealed, upon completion, the phrase, “Just Peachy.” “It was as if Paula was letting us know that she is okay,” Schmadel said.
Smith smiled. “She was so happy to be a part of the RWC Registration Department; everyone would often stop in to say hello and ask how Paula was doing. She was extremely well liked among the RWC community.”
Colon cancer affects both men and women equally, and roughly 150,000 new cases are reported annually. With 56,000 people per year dying of colon cancer, the disease ranks second as the leading cause of cancer deaths, though it is a largely preventable disease. Health professionals stress the importance of scheduling a colonoscopy.
When Katie Couric of MSNBC’s TODAY show lost her husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer, her speaking out on the importance of early detection was speculated to have spurred a twenty percent rise in colonoscopies within the United States. Medical professionals urge the public to remember that if caught early, colon cancer has more than a 90 percent cure rate. Since colon cancer begins with a precancerous polyp, it can be detected and painlessly removed during a colonoscopy.
Those diagnosed with the disease should alert family members since the disease is often passed on through genetic mutations within the family. Researchers are now able to identify specific mutations of genes that give rise to certain types of cancer, colon cancer being one of them.
When hereditary factors do not contribute, the cancer is considered sporadic, or due to other factors. Experts report colon cancer to be influenced significantly by lifestyle, and a preventive regimen is suggested that entails reducing consumption of red meats, increasing fiber, calcium, water, fruits and vegetables, exercising, quitting smoking, and reducing or ceasing the consumption of sugar and alcohol.
Regardless of how fit or active one might be, symptoms may arise that shouldn’t be ignored. Some report a tingling in the abdominal region, a consistent feeling of being cold, and often develop an iron deficiency and anemia. Symptoms can sometimes be mis-diagnosed as not all people will have the same experience of illness.
Diagnosis of Stage Four colon cancer is considered the most life threatening. Chemotherapy can often extend years of seemingly normal or good health, but the survival rate ranges from ten percent or lower. However, it is still possible for Stage Four patients to enter remission through undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments.
Roughly 13,000 men and woman under the age of 50 are diagnosed each year with colon cancer. People should be alert to the signs, and schedule a colonoscopy; it’s the no-fail way to catch it early and begin recovery if cancer is found.