Retired Police Chief Praises Proton Therapy For Prostate Cancer

By Patty Tobin

For Bill Sneddon, being active and part of the community is just in his DNA. For 34 years, he worked with the Ocean Township police department – serving as chief for 22 years. Now retired and with his three children all grown up, he spends time pursuing his many hobbies, including flying remote control planes, an outgrowth of his years as a flight instructor and corporate pilot.

Bill is a passionate golfer, and is known locally for his work as a published photographer. But his interests don’t stop there. Add website designer, serious motorcyclist with trips around the country – including one with his granddaughter when she was 12 – and a healthy roster of community work, such as his role as chair of the local planning board.

So imagine Bill’s surprise when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012. He sat down with his urologist in Toms River to review his options, including radiation therapy. But Bill was nervous that radiation’s side effects could slow him down -- inconceivable for his active lifestyle. In talking to others about his situation, Bill learned about proton therapy from his good friend, who encouraged Bill to look into it. After conducting his own research, Bill felt that proton therapy was the right option for him. He received support for it from his local urologist.

Proton therapy offers a highly targeted form of radiation treatment by using positively charged proton beams, which target the cancerous site and stop there, avoiding damage to healthy surrounding tissue -- and a lot of the side effects that men with prostate cancer face as a result of treatment.

“This is something I definitely felt comfortable with,” Bill says.

Now 71 years old, Bill is a proud graduate of ProCure Proton Therapy Center in Somerset (graduate number “81”) and he couldn’t be happier, so thrilled with his treatment and the center that he has added “ProCure Patient Ambassador” to his roster of regular volunteer work, educating other men about proton therapy as an option.

“It was like a five-star hotel for me,” he said, mentioning that he actually looked forward to going to the center every day for treatment.

As an ambassador, Bill’s messages include: “Do your research,” “become an empowered patient” and “find a caring and supportive community.”

Today Bill feels wonderful and is back to his active lifestyle. His PSA reading is exactly the same as it was since the end of his treatment – at a level 0.2.

“You can’t get any lower than that,” he said.

(Photo provided by Bill Sneddon)