Three-time Emmy winner and cancer survivor, actor Jack Klugman couldn’t speak for more than three years after his cancer treatments. Now that he has regained his voice, he’s lending it to the Oral Cancer Foundation’s effort to educate the public through television PSAs about the need for an annual screening to catch oral cancers in their early, most survivable stages. The public service announcements began airing September 15th, and will continue to air in several hundred markets in the US through the end of the year.
Klugman, who is most famous for his television roles portraying compulsive slob Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple,” and medical examiner Quincy in “Quincy, M.E.,” recently made his return to television with an appearance as a medical examiner on “Crossing Jordan” and in live theater to rave reviews in the production of “An Evening with Jack Klugman.” Klugman returns to the stage again this month at the Falcon Theatre in “Golf With Alan Shepard,” directed by Skip Greer; and in the spring will play a movie director in “The Value of Names,” to be staged at New York’s Queens Theatre in the Park.
Klugman credits early detection for his survival of cancer and his subsequent return to stage and screen.
“When I contacted Jack about doing the PSA for the Oral Cancer Foundation, he responded immediately,” said Brian Hill, foundation executive director. “He said, ‘I’m your perfect candidate–I’m here today only because my doctors found it and treated it early… let’s do it!’”
But Klugman deserves credit of his own–for seeking treatment long before many others typically do. When he developed hoarseness, a common warning sign, he went straight to his doctors, who immediately diagnosed the cancer. His prompt action allowed doctors to successfully treat Klugman– through with surgery that included removal of his right vocal cord. The surgery left him without the ability to speak. Mr. Klugman’s recovery of his voice took over 3 years. But with extensive therapy, he was able to regain a voice that, while raspy and soft, allows him not only to be understood, but to perform. While still struggling in recovery and voice rehabilitation, he credits long time friend and Odd Couple partner Tony Randall with pushing and encouraging him when times were tough. Klugman states, “Tony told me that I had better get working on my therapy because he was going to see that we brought the Odd Couple back to stage in less than a year. I told him he was crazy, but with his encouragement and extensive therapy it came to pass.
Hill states that “working with Klugman was an incredible experience. This guy is a fighter, and he has a passion for life that is palpable. As an example of someone who has faced adversity such as the loss of his voice and come back to excel in his craft, he has become a real hero figure to me.”
The Oral Cancer Foundation’s public service campaign aims to help others survive and thrive as Klugman has. Approximately 30,000 Americans per year are newly diagnosed with oral cancer. Only half of them will be alive in five years. The death rate for oral cancer is higher than that of many we routinely hear about such as cervical cancer, prostate cancer, or skin cancer (malignant melanoma), reports the Newport Beach, California-based Oral Cancer Foundation. The death toll is particularly high because lack of public awareness, combined with infrequent opportunistic screenings for the condition. This results in a disease that in two-thirds of cases, is found as a late-stage, advanced cancer. Chances for recovery at this stage are significantly worse than if oral cancer is caught early. Death rates from cancers such as that of the cervix, skin, and prostate, have decreased as annual checks for those diseases have been adopted-this could also be the case with oral cancer, if the simple and painless screening procedure were to be adopted as a routine part of dental or physical examinations.
Media information Any members of the media that would like Beta SP tapes of the 30 and 60 second PSA, transcripts, or the PSA in other formats such as QuickTime for web use, may contact the foundation and receive one at no charge for unlimited use by emailing info@oralcancerfoundation.org
Sun, Aug 15, 2004
OCF In The News