Defying the Odds: A WWII Veteran’s Journey with Melanoma

At the age of 98, Patrick Fay had been fortunate to lead a full and relatively healthy life. Except for the usual challenges that come with aging, he had no significant health issues. Which is why he was surprised when, during a routine appointment with his dermatologist, concerning lesions were discovered on his legs. Referred to Smilow Cancer Hospital, Mr. Fay saw Kelly Olino, MD, assistant professor of surgery (oncology) and underwent a biopsy that revealed stage III melanoma.

Dr. Olino, a surgical oncologist with additional training in cancer immunotherapy, treats patients affected by skin cancer. "I see a wide variety of people because skin cancer affects everybody, no matter their age, unfortunately," says Dr. Olino, who also serves as leader of skin cancer surgery for the Melanoma Program and is clinical director of the Smilow Melanoma Program.

Although no cancer diagnosis is uneventful or straightforward, Mr. Fay, who recently celebrated his 102^nd birthday, commented that overall, his experience has been a positive one. His son Paul, one of Mr. Fay’s primary caretakers, explained that they made the decision to start his father on Keytruda, an immunotherapy that works to treat advanced melanoma by blocking a protein called PD-1 on immune cells, allowing them to more effectively recognize and attack cancer cells.

Under the guidance of Thuy Tran, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine (medical oncology and hematology), he started treatment with Keytruda in 2021 and in 2023 switched to another immunotherapy treatment known as Opdivo in the hopes of keeping the cancer from spreading. He receives the treatment once a month at Smilow Cancer Hospital in Guilford.

“There have been some increased lesions on his leg, but there has been no spread of the cancer to other parts of his body in four years,” explains Paul. “We had heard of immunotherapy in vague terms, but didn’t fully understand how it was being used in melanoma. At the age of 98, it seemed like the least intrusive approach to take for my father. Fortunately, he hasn’t experienced any of the side effects which, honestly, were not that alarming considering the alternative.”

A diagnosis of any cancer at any age can be traumatizing for a patient and their family, and Mr. Fay’s was made more so as it came one month after the loss of his wife of 76 years. “Together we had six children, 10 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren. It was very hard to take in and accept this diagnosis so soon after losing my wife.”

Although Mr. Fay claims to have no secrets on how to become a centenarian, his son Paul commented that he does in fact have three secrets: a family that loves him and takes care of him, the love of an extraordinary woman, and (he was reluctant to admit) that he does not like to eat vegetables. Mr. Fay did comment, however, that having a state-of-the-art medical facility so close to home has made all the difference in his cancer journey. He and Paul also shared how extremely responsive and accommodating both Drs. Olino and Tran have been during the process and that they both had complete faith in their care from the start.

As part of his ongoing care, Mr. Fay receives quarterly PET scans and has regular visits to his dermatologist. His advice to others is to prioritize dermatology check-ups regardless of age, emphasizing the importance of sun safety, a concept he didn't fully grasp until later in life as sun safety wasn’t a concern when he or his children were growing up.

Born in Ireland, Mr. Fay and his family moved to Massachusetts when he was six years old. In 1943, at the beginning of his sophomore year of college, he left school to enlist in the Army. In 1944 he was deployed to Europe and served in the Battle of the Bulge, one of the largest battles in the history of the U.S. military. He was awarded two purple hearts and the bronze star for his heroism. Upon his return from the war, he quickly returned to his full time job and completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Northeastern University.

In 1964 he moved his family from Massachusetts to Connecticut due to a work promotion. After retirement in 1986, he and his beloved wife Helen moved to Madison. Together they traveled to five continents and dozens of countries, with a never-ending desire to learn about the history and culture of others. His only regret is that he didn’t make it to Australia when he was younger. He is also an avid reader who continues to maintain an unquenchable thirst for learning and knowledge.

“It’s remarkable that at my father’s age he is able to receive an immunotherapy that wasn’t even around 10-15 years ago,” says Paul. “It’s truly amazing to see the progress that has been made in all areas of cancer care and diagnosis. Our entire family is extremely grateful for the wonderful care my father has received at Smilow, and will continue to receive.”