CANCER SURVIVOR ALAN LERTZMAN, front and center, turns out to participate in the Lake Oswego Relay for Life with the Congregation Beth Israel Team, “The Wandering Jews.” Lertzman, who learned after moving to Portland that he has a less aggressive form of cancer than he originally was diagnosed with, is chairing the survivorship committee of the Hillsdale/Multnomah Village Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society Aug. 8-10.
With more time, cancer survivor helps others
By Deborah Moon
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When Alan Lertzman was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in March of 2005, he decided to enjoy as much time as he had left.
So after recovering from three months of chemotherapy, Alan and Lynn Lertzman moved from Los Altos Hills, Calif., to Portland to be near their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters (Karin and Nat Basart and Temma, now 6, and Lilah, now 4). Their other daughter Renee Lertzman is studying toward a doctorate in environmental psychology in Wales.
“Since I really had no control over the outcome, I simply decided to be thankful for the time I had left and enjoy life as it comes every day,” said Lertzman. “As it turned out, I have been given more time to spend with family and friends.”
In March the following year, Lertzman went to Portland’s Veteran’s Administration hospital for a follow-up. He said the oncologist told him that based on his diagnosis of small cell lung cancer, an aggressive, fast-growing terminal cancer, he should not feel or look as good as he did.
Tests at Portland’s VA showed that Lertzman had been misdiagnosed at the VA hospital in California. He actually has lymphoma, a slow-growing cancer that is not life threatening.
“The oncologist said I will probably die with it, but not from it,” said Lertzman, now 79.
Now that he has more time, Lertzman said he wants to help other cancer survivors. So, among other things, he signed up as co-chair of the survivorship committee for this year’s Relay for Life in Hillsdale to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
As survivorship co-chair with Sharon Hincks, Lertzman will recruit as many survivors as possible for the walk, meet survivors as they arrive for the walk, help organize a survivor luncheon at the event and “be as supportive as possible for survivors.”
“I’m here to help other people now that I’m OK,” he said.
In addition to the relay, he also volunteers in the cancer ward at the VA hospital and is active at Temple Beth Israel and the Noontime Nomads Toastmaster Club in Tigard.
Lertzman said that faith and family were very important as he struggled with his initial diagnosis.
Lertzman and his wife met more than 40 years ago when they were both members of Congregation Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, Calif. They remained members of that congregation until moving to Portland and joining Congregation Beth Israel. At Beth Am, he served on the board of directors for six years and was very involved in Temple activities. He said he and his wife have become involved in Beth Israel activities as well.
“People at both temples were very supportive,” he said. “We’ve helped friends who had problems and when we got into a problem, they circled around us and helped as much as they could.”
But accepting help isn’t always easy.
“It’s kind of awkward,” said Lertzman of being on the receiving end. “When I was at work (as an investment broker), my job was to find solutions.”
Now he seems happy and enthusiastic to be on the other end of the equation and providing help again.
On July 12, he joined the Beth Israel team walking in the Lake Oswego Relay for Life. And he is actively recruiting more people for the Aug. 9-10 Hillsdale Relay. At that relay, he is also one of the motivational speakers on the agenda.
Lertzman said he plans to encourage people to share their experiences and to make their life experiences more valuable. He also encourages people to exercise, stop smoking and get a second opinion.
Lertzman said his diagnosis of small cell cancer was partially based on the fact that he had been a smoker from the age of 15 until his 50s, when smoking made it difficult for him to continue swimming on his masters’ swim team.
“Swimming got me off the smokes,” he said.
Lertzman also attributes his good immune system and overall good health to continuing to swim daily.
But he wishes he had gotten a second opinion right away to avoid both the chemotherapy and its side effects as well as the emotional turmoil.
“Had I gone and received a second opinion, I might have avoided the aggravation and so forth,” he said.
Lertzman invited those wanting more information on the relay to come to the last monthly planning meeting hosted at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. The final meeting before the walk will be 6-8 p.m., Aug. 6, at the MJCC.
Survivors can contact Karla Signs at 503-795-3912 or karla.signs@cancer.org. Others wanting information can visit the Web site events.cancer.org/rflhillsdalemultnomahvillageor.
