Moulton man diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and given 3 weeks to live credits God for survival

Aug. 1—Flipping through calendars from 2018 and 2019, Mary Bennett pointed to the dozens of dates marked with red and pink slashes.

"Each of these slashes represents a chemotherapy or radiation treatment," the Moulton woman said, glancing at her husband. "It looks like a lot and it was, but we tried to take it just one day at a time. That's all we thought we had for a while — just days."

Sitting inside the Moulton home he built with his own hands, the 70-year-old soft-spoken Benny Bennett listened to his wife recount his three-year journey with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Most patients with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, which has a 5% survival rate within five years, are given nine months to a year to live. Doctors gave Benny Bennett three weeks.

"When the doctor told me I had three weeks, I thought he was crazy. I didn't believe him because I didn't feel bad. I felt normal," Benny said. "It's only because of the good Lord that I am sitting here today."

On the Bennetts' kitchen table, next to a basket filled with "Get Well" and "Thinking of You" cards, sits the family Bible opened to Isaiah 40:31. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. And they shall walk and not faint."

"That is our favorite verse," Mary said. "The doctors said Benny shouldn't be here today. Nothing but God's grace and guidance have got us through these past three years. He has blessed us so much through this journey."

That journey began when a blister-like spot appeared on the top of Benny's left ear in early 2018. By July, with the spot the size of a dime, Benny scheduled an appointment with Dr. Don Beach, the Bennetts' family doctor for the past 25 years.

"We thought it was just skin cancer," Beach said.

After meeting with an oncologist and maxillofacial surgeon at UAB, the Bennetts prepared for a simple surgery to remove the cancer.

"We were celebrating at Ruby Tuesday because they said it was going to be a minor surgery when they called and told us there was a problem. Something had showed up in his scans," Mary said.

Instead of just cutting off the growth on his ear, the surgeon sliced Benny from his left ear, across his neck and jugular vein, and removed 18 lymph nodes. One tested positive for cancer.

To determine how much cancer remained in his body following the surgery, Benny underwent a PET scan, which causes cancerous areas in the body to light up on a screen.

"I lit up like a Christmas tree," Benny said.

Beach described finding the pancreatic cancer while treating Benny for skin cancer as an accidental miracle.

"They told us his ear saved his life. Without the cancer on his ear, they may have never found the other cancer. He had no symptoms," Mary said.

Discouraging diagnosis

A biopsy of a lymph node revealed Benny was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

"Initially, the surgeons told Benny he couldn't have surgery, that he was too far advanced and that he was beyond hope," Beach said.

As Benny underwent chemotherapy to try to shrink the cancer, Mary adopted the role of patient advocate and called cancer facilities around the United States.

"I am not forceful by nature, but you have to be when you have three weeks and people are just patting you on the back. They would put me on hold, say they would call when they got an opening and offer us good luck. Everywhere we went, they would just shake their heads," Mary said.

Together, the Bennetts fought the cancer — just as they have faced life for the past five decades. The duo met 52 years ago while Benny pumped gas at Stuckey's. He was 19 and she was 17.

"It was love at first sight," Mary said. "When everyone kept saying they couldn't help Benny, I went through some really down times. I couldn't imagine my life without him."

Each day that passed, hope grew dimmer. The chemotherapy intended to help Benny brought physical pain. He lost 70 pounds, developed metastases and a blood clot, which caused his legs to swell. No medicine could relieve the pain.

"He was not responding to chemotherapy. It did not look good," Beach said. "Then, inexplicably, from the medical viewpoint, things turned around. The cancer shrunk. As a physician, I didn't do it. I know who the great healer is."

A PET scan in early 2020 revealed the cancer had shrunk to an operable size. Dr. Jason Seale, of Decatur's Surgical Associates of North Alabama, suggested performing a Whipple procedure — a complicated and risky surgery. Beach described the procedure as "a big surgery with a poor outcome."

After a lot of discussion and prayer, the Bennetts opted for the procedure.

During the seven-hour surgery on Feb. 28, 2020, which included the removal of part of the pancreas and spleen, Benny received eight units of blood and nearly died on the operating table, Mary said. He remained on a respirator for three days and stayed in rehab for two weeks.

Weeks of radiation followed. When Benny started losing his hair, his children shaved his head. The Bennetts' 7-year-old shih tzu, Jack, remained by his side. On May 19, 2020, Benny underwent his final radiation treatment.

'Not a death sentence'

On May 5, 2021, Benny returned to the oncologist for a CT scan. The scan came back with no cancer detected.

"Benny shows people that just because you receive a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer it is not a death sentence," Beach said.

While the cancer, blood clot and metastases are gone and Benny is gaining back weight, the side effects of treatment linger. As a result of the chemotherapy and radiation, pieces of Benny's teeth started falling out when he would eat. In July, he opted to have the remainder of his teeth removed.

For Benny, the son of a coal miner father and a mother who was one-half Cherokee, overcoming cancer represents the latest battle in a lifetime of challenges, including the deaths of his parents at the age of 12 and living in seven orphanages.

Along with their faith, Benny and Mary credited their son and daughter-in-law, Marty and Windie Bennett, daughter and son-in-law, Lori and Eric Knight, five grandchildren and church family at Landersville Church of Christ for giving them support and strength.

Now, he looks forward to returning to normal life — a life of cooking Sunday supper for his two children and five grandchildren, holding a Halloween party for the community and distributing presents at Christmas to children with special needs.

"At Christmas, me and one of my buddies would do a Santa Shop and fill a room with presents at Moulton Elementary School. The children would come in and get what they wanted. That's what I like to do, give to others. I have children see me at Walmart and say, 'It's Mr. Santa Shop.' That makes me feel good," Benny said.

Benny and Mary continue to live life day by day. Every night, they pray, do Bible devotionals and play hymns on the piano.

"We have had three doctors tell us that the only way Benny can be here today is because of God. Cancer is a terrible thing, but God is greater. We are thankful for every day we have together. No one knows how much time we have left and we just try to live it to the fullest," Mary said.

— cgodbey@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2441. Twitter @DecaturLiving.