In February 2007, Colleen Johnson was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Wegener Granulomatosis (GPA). This is an uncommon disorder that is the result of granulomatous inflammation and blood vessels Inflammation, which can damage organ systems.

The condition affected her health by causing the cartilage in her nose to dissolve and, as a result, made it collapse. This obstructed her airways and made it impossible for her to breathe through them, which also caused her to develop a saddle-nose deformity.

“With this disease it is painful and it’s more painful when it hits the organs, but with my part, I had the nose that collapsed. I could not breathe through my nose, so I was not getting enough oxygen to go into my brain. I couldn’t do all the functions I wanted to do; it just affected my everyday life” Johnson said.

After years of struggling with her condition, Colleen was finally referred to Dr. Mark Tabor, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology. During their consultation, Dr. Tabor discovered a huge pocket of dead bone within her frontal sinus. He then immediately scheduled her for an operation called a Frontal Sinus Drillout. This helped remove the causes of her sinus blockage and helped stop some of the pain she was experiencing.

Dr. Tabor also informed Colleen that he could address her saddle-nose deformity, which was also caused by her condition. He contacted Dr. Julia Toman, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, due to her specialization in addressing the structural parts of the nose, such as the bone and cartilage that give the nose shape.

From left, Dr. Julia Toman, Colleen Johnson, and Dr. Mark Tabor.

“Being at an academic medical center, we have experts within many different specialties, so I think it is good to get different people involved in specialized cases like this. Two sets of eyes are better than one,” Dr. Tabor said.

With the combined efforts of Dr. Tabor and Dr. Toman, they were able to restore function back to her nose by using cartilage from other parts of her body to reconstruct her nasal breathing airways and open up her sinuses.

“When I got the procedure done, I did not think it would ever happen because my nose had been collapsed for at least 10 years, so I thought it was going to be my life forever,” Johnson said. “I just want to thank Dr. Tabor and Dr. Toman, for what they did for me because if not for them, then my life would still be the worst thing in the world. They improved my life 100 percent, and I cannot thank them enough.”

Story, photos and video by Ryan Rossy, USF Health Communications and Marketing

Allen Parent sees something beautiful in faded muscle cars. A 1965 Pontiac GTO is his current rehab project.

All that had to be put on hold when the retired machinist discovered a lump on the left side of his neck in late 2018.

Mr. Parent, of Brookville, Fla., was diagnosed with squamous cell mouth cancer, a head and neck cancer, and referred for treatment to Tapan Padhya, MD, USF Health department chair of Otolaryngology, and Matthew Mifsud, MD, a USF Health head and neck surgeon and otolaryngologist.

Allen Parent near his current rehab project, a 1965 GTO.   Photo by Allison Long | USF Health

About four percent of all cancer cases diagnosed in the United States each year involve the head and neck, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. This year, head and neck cancer will affect an estimated 66,630 people.

To treat Mr. Parent’s cancer, Dr. Mifsud had to remove parts of his left mouth and jaw. He reconstructed the jaw with muscle, bone and tissues taken from Mr. Parent’s right leg. The result left him with noticeable cosmetic deformities.

“There was a big lump (of tissue) hanging,” said Mr. Parent, adding, “you catch it in zippers.”

Allen Parent before his surgery with Julia Toman, MD. Photos courtesy of Dr. Toman

Mr. Parent after his surgery Dr. Toman. Photos courtesy of Dr. Toman

Dr. Mifsud said that while many cancers and their scars can be covered up with clothing, “You can’t hide cancers of the head and neck.”

To deal with the visible loose tissue, Dr. Mifsud recommended that Mr. Parent see Julia Toman, MD, a USF Health facial plastic surgeon, in 2020 after Mr. Parent had finished his cancer treatments. She was able to repair the loose tissue and make his face appear more symmetrical.

“To be able to do procedures that allow people to be seen on the outside the way they feel on the inside really affirms people’s quality of life,” Dr. Toman said.

“They both (Drs. Mifsud and Toman) did a great job and I am appreciative for everybody that was involved,” Mr. Parent said.

Allen Parent is grateful for his treatment by Drs. Mifsud and Toman. Photo by: Allison Long | USF Health

Now that his more than two-year-journey with cancer is completed, Mr. Parent is planning trips on his beloved Harley Davidson.

“If you have cancer, it’s not the end of the world,” said Mr. Parent, 69. “The best thing to do is just look at the positive side of things cause, there’s always a brighter day ahead.”

Watch the video above to learn more about Mr. Parent’s journey.

Dr. Matthew Mifsud

Dr. Julia Toman