LH Mayor Baney Battling Return of Cancer
By Scott Johnson
LOCK HAVEN – The cancer is back for the city’s mayor after he successfully fought against it over two decades ago.
However, 61-year-old Mayor Bill Baney said he is optimistic about his recovery this time around and doctors are treating him with chemotherapy, which should last for the remainder of this year. Further, he said, the cancer should not interfere with his capacity with the city.
“I would like to thank the community for their well-wishes. I started cancer treatment today in Pittsburgh. It should last until the end of 2019, if not beyond,” Baney said at the beginning of Monday night’s City Council meeting.
He told The Record after the meeting Dr. Klimsky at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh operated on him three weeks ago for what is described as an “outgrowth” of the brain tumor he battled 24 years ago.
Baney said his tumor is a grade three tumor, “which is the most favorable tumor to have.”
“They felt like they got it all,” he said, however adding that another doctor said the whole “outgrowth” was not taken out.
I learned about it (the ‘outgrowth’) in the courthouse four weeks ago,” Baney said. “Everything was moving around really quickly.”
Thankfully, Baney said, his daughter works in the medical field and he went to Lock Haven Hospital that day before transferring to UPMC for treatment from Dr. Chelsea MacNamara the next day.
This time, he said, there will be no radiation treatments. However, he will have chemotherapy treatments at Divine Providence Hospital in Williamsport. Also, he is being prescribed to take one pill a day for the first seven days of the month and nothing for the remaining three weeks.
“Then, I start the process again,” Baney said.
He recently decided against running for re-election as mayor after one elected term for that office and two others for council. But, Baney added, his decision was made before the recent “outgrowth” was discovered and he fully plans to carry out his duties as mayor for the remainder of the year, when his term expires.
Baney was not present at council’s last meeting two weeks ago.
