Ron Gilliard, a retired United States Air Force Lt. Col. and a 40-year hospital administrator in both military and civilian life, talked to his fellow Bainbridge Lions Club members Wednesday about his and his wife Beth’s journey on the way to conquering his throat cancer.

“My wife Beth was my rock during my bout with throat cancer,” Gilliard said. “I was diagnosed with throat cancer last year and then had surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. I then suffered through the pretty rough side effects from those treatments. I am now living the new normal life that all cancer survivors discover.”

Gilliard said he had a slight cough for several months and asked his ear, nose and throat specialist about it in the fall of 2015.

“She checked me out but did not find anything, but I was coughing and she was determined to see if she could find out why,” Gilliard said.

Gilliard said the doctor first sprayed some not-so-good-smelling stuff into his nose and down his throat for pain. 

“Today, I am cancer free and I firmly believe that it is due to my doctors, my Christian faith, the love and support of wife Beth, my daughter Allison, and my son-in-law Bill and the prayers of all the good people in Bainbridge and Decatur County and you fellow Lions members,” Gilliard said.