Presiding over weddings is one way that the Reverend Michael Teston, ThM, gives back to his community after retiring as a full-time pastor.
One recent wedding was quite different than the rest. It was with heartfelt pride that the pastor looked on as the groom—the man Michael credits with saving his life—said his vows.
“Fiyin, do you take Courtnee to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Michael asked his head and neck cancer specialist.
“I do,” Dr. Fiyin Sokoya replied, standing happily as his former patient—now friend, spiritual advisor and premarital counselor—joined him with his wife in holy matrimony.
Compassionate expertise follows an unexpected diagnosis
A few years earlier, an unexpected diagnosis brought the two men together as they formed a bond that exceeded the typical doctor-patient relationship.
It began when Michael noticed a knot in his left cheek. He thought he had an infected lymph node so he went to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor to get it checked out. The prognosis was that the knot was likely non-cancerous, but worth getting removed because it was growing rapidly and increased the risk for cancer. The clergyman was referred to Dr. Fiyin Sokoya, a head and neck cancer specialist and facial plastic surgeon at Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center.
Specialized head & neck cancer care
Dr. Sokoya surgically removed the tumor using techniques similar to a facelift. This helped the scars heal well and meant minimal downtime during the healing process.
“If you look at my face now, you couldn’t tell,” Michael shared. “Dr. Sokoya did a phenomenal job.”
As a precaution and part of standard practice at Wellstar, the tumor taken from his face went to specialized head and neck pathologists for testing.
“I went into the doctor’s office for a follow-up visit,” Michael remembered. “The doctor said, ‘Unfortunately, it’s cancer.’”
The tumor was a rare type of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small lymphocytic lymphoma.
“Well, that’s not what I was expecting!” Michael remembered thinking at the time. “I thought it was just a benign tumor. But Dr. Sokoya kept his manner calm, kind and never rushed. He explained things in a non-technical way to make sure I understood.”
Along with Dr. Sokoya’s demeanor, the reverend’s belief that no matter what happens, a higher power is watching out for him helped. Michael said, “My heart rate didn’t go up one bit. I never had a moment of panic.”
Fortunately, Michael was already in the right place for his care.
“We’ve become the destination center for advanced head and neck cancer care,” Dr. Sokoya said. “We can take care of him whatever his needs may be with top-notch physicians who empathize and display emotional intelligence while connecting on a human level throughout treatment.”
Aside from the surgery, Michael did not need further treatment, other than regular monitoring and bloodwork.
“Michael ended up not needing chemo because we caught it early and his medical oncologist is able to watch it closely in case any symptoms develop again,” Dr. Sokoya said.
