Good Health: Michigan Musician Loses Battle With Adrenal Cancer

What You Need To Know About This Deadly Disease

POSTED: Wednesday, May 9, 2007

UPDATED: 2:11 pm EDT August 31, 2007

Spencer Bell of Bloomfield Hills was just 20 years old when he was diagnosed with adrenal cancer in November of 2006. He died just eleven days after learning he had cancer. By the time Spencer began suffering symptoms, the cancer was so advanced that surgery was not an option.

Tragically, Spencer's story is not unusual. Adrenal cancer is one of the most deadly cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, adrenal cancer is very rare, striking just 300 to 400 Americans each year. But most patients are diagnosed late, and doctors say current treatments are not very effective against this form of cancer.

Spencer's parents Bill and Cathy Bell are leading a new push to raise awareness and funds for adrenal cancer research. Spencer was a talented musician and songwriter, and his parents have centered their efforts around his music.

The Spencer Bell Memorial Concert to raise money for adrenal cancer research will be held on Friday night, Sept. 7th at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. Doors will open at 7 p.m., with music at 8 p.m. The Howling Diablos are scheduled to appear, along with Spencer's band The Stevedores, and another local band called Double Scale. The Bell family is in the process of creating a Web site with more details. The web address is www.spencerbellmemorial.com.

Proceeds from the concert will be donated to the adrenal cancer research program at the University of Michigan. Garry Hammer, M.D., Ph.D. is the Millie Schembechler Professor of Adrenal Cancer at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. The center has one of the top adrenal cancer programs in the country, thanks largely to an endowment from former U-M football coach Bo Schembechler, whose wife Millie, died from adrenal cancer in 1992. The University of Michigan also has one of the only multidisciplinary adrenal cancer treatment programs in the world.

To learn more about the Multidisciplinary Adrenal Cancer Clinic, go to: www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/endocrine/the_clinic.shtml

To learn more about adrenal cancer, go to: www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/endocrine/adrenal_cancer_resources.shtml

To donate money to adrenal cancer research, go to: www.cancer.med.umich.edu/cancertreat/endocrine/adrenal_cancer_donations.shtml

To learn more about Dr. Hammer's research, go to: www.med.umich.edu/hammerlab

To find support groups for patients with adrenal cancer, go to: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ACCompassion or www.adrenalcancersupport.org

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Michigan Musician Loses Battle With Adrenal Cancer

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