
“The doctor looked at my throat and said something’s not right,” Frankie Vickers recalls. “It flashed through my brain that I’m going to die, but without a pause I heard, ‘No, we’re going to fix this.’”
That was a decade ago. Today, Vickers is retired from serving as a cancer center concierge at UAB St. Vincent’s Birmingham Bruno Cancer Center. He greeted patients and families, often sharing his story to inspire hope and perseverance. He helped them navigate the Cancer Center and reassured them that the entire staff is dedicated to their treatment and comfort. “Patients ask me, ‘You had cancer?’ Yes, I did, I’m a 10-year survivor.”
Vickers’ cancer journey was particularly challenging, as he faced cancer in both his throat and prostate. “I had chemotherapy in the morning and radiation therapy in the afternoons,” he recalls. “Chemo was rough, but within six months of treatment, I was in pretty good shape.”
Camp Bluebird
Vickers’ cancer journey included a stay at Camp Bluebird, one of many survivorship support services offered by UAB St. Vincent’s. It is open to people age 18 and older who’ve been diagnosed with or treated for cancer. Located in Birmingham and surround by woods, mountains, and water, the retreat offers recreation, relaxation, crafts, activities, and the opportunity to talk openly with other survivors about their experiences and emotions.
Louis Josof is a cancer care counselor at Camp Bluebird and himself a cancer survivor. When he was invited to go to Camp Bluebird, he recalls telling his wife, “I’m not one of those people,” and she said, “You certainly are those people, get our bags packed.”
The camp helps survivors “put the fun back into life,” Josof said. “Patients come into the support group and the bonding is immediate. It’s common for cancer survivors to have a lot of emotions and questions. Sometimes the circumstances are so overwhelming that you don’t even know what questions to ask. But then a fellow survivor says, ‘I know exactly what you are talking about’, and the conversation flows freely – as does the unconditional love and support.”
Both Vickers and Josof left Camp Bluebird determined to give back – to give hope. Survivorship programs do make a difference. Click here to learn more about cancer care at UAB St. Vincent’s.