Citizens Memorial Hospital | Vitality | Summer 2021

10 VITALITY Summer 2021 R obert Burton’s cancer journey started in 2014 at Central Care Cancer Center, Bolivar, when board certified oncologist Leo Shunyakov, M.D., known as “Dr. Leo” to his patients, diagnosed him with stage IV renal cell carcinoma, a common type of kidney cancer. “I thought I just had kidney stones,” Burton remembers. “But my symptoms just got worse, so I drove from Osceola to the CMH emergency room where I had a CT scan, and Dr. Leo shared that I had a mass.” Burton says he was worried but recalls Dr. Shunyakov saying, “We’re going to save you, and you’re going to be around for a long time.” Further scans showed that Burton’s cancer had spread throughout his body, including his bones. Dr. Shunyakov sent him to the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC), Kansas City, Kansas, where he received several weeks of intense treatments. After KUMC, Burton continued his oncology care in Bolivar for radiation therapy and infusions. CANCER CARE I‘ immediately felt relief’ Minimally invasive spine procedure eases crippling cancer pain