Touched by Cancer at Just 20 Years Old, a Grateful Patient Gives Back
Jon and Scotty Gwatney; placing their family tile on the Our Community Wall at the Cancer Center.
Scotty Gwatney was a 20-year-old student at LSU when he was diagnosed with stage 4 large B-cell lymphoma after experiencing weeks of headaches that doctors thought were migraines.
“I was just living my life, going to school, and then all of a sudden, I had this diagnosis happen to me,” he recalls. “I had the tough realization that I may not be able to do all the things in life I planned, like marriage, a family a career.”
Scotty’s prognosis was not good, but his care was exceptional. His medical oncologist, Dr. Bryan Bienvenu, remained by his side throughout the entire year-long ordeal and remains a special part of Scotty’s life today.
“Dr. Bienvenu spoke to me like a friend, like a real person,” Scotty says. “And we still keep in touch 20 years later.”
In fact, Scotty remains in touch with many people who were on his care team—including two individuals who worked in the radiation treatment department at Mary Bird Perkins. These lifelong friendships are a testament to the compassionate care he received.
Dr. Bryan Bienvenu and Scotty Gwatney celebrating their named space at the Cancer Center
Those special connections are what motivated him and his father, Jon Gwatney, to make a meaningful gift to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation dedicated to advancing treatment in medical oncology.
Through the generosity of the Gwatney Family, they established the Smith-Gwatney Endowed Fund in honor of the special care they received from Dr. Bienvenu and his team.
Their gift to the Foundation’s endowment will provide vital funding today and for generations to come supporting the work of the Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Care Team and Dr. Bryan Bienvenu, who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and management of people with cancers of the head and neck.
A plaque to commemorate the gift was placed outside of Exam Room 7 in the Cancer Center, selected by Scotty because of its location near the chair he always sat in when he received his treatment.
“Everyone there recognizes you and calls you by name,” says Scotty. “You really feel like you aren’t just another number.”
The Gwatney’s gift to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation ensures future generations of patients will receive the same outstanding care for which their family has been so grateful.