Chuck Warman is not one to back down from a fight. As clean air activists in their hometown of Moscow, Ohio, Chuck’s wife Bonnie and he are no strangers to big challenges. So when Chuck was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, he was concerned, not afraid.

“I went upstairs and said a prayer,” says Chuck. “I counted my blessings and asked how I could be allowed to die now, and I was given the word that I was not going to die from this disease, period. I got up, and that’s been good enough for me.”

Chuck’s positive attitude, determination and the support of Bonnie and their three children – Jacob, Jessica, and Nathan – helped him face his disease. Chuck went into remission and remained healthy.

Seven years later during a routine procedure at Cincinnati’s Christ Hospital, Chuck was told he should see a hepatologist immediately – his Hepatitis C had returned. His hepatologist performed several tests before treating him. Suddenly, the family faced the biggest fight of their lives: Chuck had developed primary liver cancer, and it was inoperable.

“It was devastating,” says Bonnie.

Unfortunately, there was more bad news: only two types of treatments available held promise for saving Chuck’s life. If unsuccessful, he’d have just four to six months to live.

On his doctor’s advice, Chuck began a course of Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA). RFA sends high-frequency radio waves to tumors through a thin probe inserted into the body. Repeated RFA treatments can damage healthy tissues as well as cancerous ones, a problem Chuck encountered during his treatments.

Says Chuck, “They must’ve poked about 50 holes in me; they had to stop because I had so many lesions in my liver. If we’d kept going, my liver would’ve shut down.”

With RFA’s failure, it was recommended that he try an innovative cancer therapy called TheraSphere instead.

TheraSphere is a form of brachytherapy, a radiotherapy in which the source of radiation is delivered directly into the area being treated. Millions of tiny, radioactive glass beads, approximately 20 – 30 micrometers in diameter each (one micrometer is about the size of a talcum powder particle) are delivered to the tumor via a small catheter. By targeting only cancerous tissues, the beads destroy dangerous cells while minimizing the impact on healthy tissue.

Minimally invasive, brachytherapy reduces most severe side effects – nausea, vomiting and hair loss – associated with traditional treatments such as systemic chemotherapy. Patients are generally treated in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia, aren’t required to change their diet, and can resume normal activities as quickly as a day after treatment.

Despite his diagnosis, Chuck remained optimistic and took a proactive role in his healthcare. He spent precious hours giving himself a crash course on his condition, available therapies, and the TheraSphere treatment his hepatologist had recommended.

“He likes to get online and research everything, so for days, he was busy researching,” chuckles Bonnie. “We couldn’t get ten minutes with Chuck for three days because he had his nose buried in the computer.”

What Chuck learned online sounded promising.

“The majority of what I found was about people just like me – people who were told that their case was hopeless. But then they tried the beads, and the majority of them were able to get transplants. But even the ones that weren’t transplanted saw their quality of life get a lot better,” says Chuck.

Chuck realized TheraSphere was his best chance of survival, so he underwent the treatments as recommended. He became one of the first patients to receive TheraSphere at University Hospital, in Cincinnati and was the first patient there to have both lobes treated. Chuck recalls that first treatment with typical good humor.

“It was so new, there was stuff falling over. An equipment technician was in with me, saying, ‘I hope we don’t bother you’. It was like the TV show M*A*S*H*,” he laughs. “But it went very well. I felt well enough that I got up the next morning at 4:30 and went fishing all day with my stepfather.”

The treatments were successful and Chuck’s tumors shrunk to the point where he was eligible for transplant. The minimal side effects enabled him to continue working and remain active in the community. But the family received yet another shock: despite the positive effects of the brachytherapy, Chuck’s insurance carrier had changed their coverage policy, declaring further treatments medically unnecessary.

“They yanked the rug out from under me,” Chuck recalls.

“We knew this was his last shot, this was it,” adds Bonnie. “It made me mad. If you’re sending people to their deaths because of a buck, you should be held accountable. Someone has to stand up and say, ‘enough’.”

Chuck and Bonnie refused to accept the denial; instead, they educated themselves about their carrier’s policies and then, they fought back. The family telephoned their insurance company, wrote letters to its medical adjusters, and shared their story online. Meanwhile, Chuck’s doctors met with insurance company representatives to explain why his life depended on brachytherapy. His employer rallied behind him too, having their human resources managers barrage the carrier with calls demanding to know why coverage was denied. The couple also reached out to the media, telling their story publicly.

The family’s efforts paid off. Facing united opposition on every front, Chuck’s insurance carrier begrudgingly agreed to cover additional treatments. He finished the course of brachytherapy, with excellent results.

“My tumors are shrinking and my CAT scan shows no cancer outside the liver,” Chuck says. “Now, I’m eligible for a liver transplant.”

Chuck is teaching others to duplicate his success. He formed a monthly Hepatitis C support group and acts as a mentor to others facing similar situations. He also joined an email discussion group for people who have undergone or are considering the bead therapy for liver cancer.

The family recently celebrated Jacob’s marriage just before he shipped out to Iraq. Chuck and Bonnie remain very socially active and avidly tend their several-acre garden. Chuck’s return to the transplant eligibility list enabled him to receive a new liver at the University of Indiana. So far, all indications are that the transplant was a success. He is healthy and optimistic, and his outlook on life is positive, as always.