8
aspire
Winter 2014
AFTER
spending 40 years teaching
zoology, anatomy and physiology to
students at University of Wisconsin–
Marathon County, Arne Salli is glad that
some of his former students are using his
lessons to help take care of him.
The 77-year-old Wausau resident has
battled cancer for the past three-plus years
and has seen many familiar faces while
receiving care at the Aspirus Regional
Cancer Center. Many of his former
students went on to work in health care,
and Salli said it seemed as though every
time he turned around, it was one of his
former pupils providing care.
“Arne has a great sense of humor, and
we always joke with him that it is a good
thing he was such a good teacher,” said
Pam Vetter, patient care coordinator at
Aspirus Regional Cancer Center and one
of Salli’s former students.
Salli first noticed symptoms of a serious
problem in the fall of 2010 while on a trip
to northern Wisconsin, where he grew up.
He experienced severe abdominal pain
that he later learned was caused by cancer
that had developed on his right kidney
and spread to his vena cava, a major vein
that carries blood from the lower half of
the body into the heart.
In November 2010, Salli underwent
surgery in Madison so he and Nancy,
his wife of 50 years, could stay with their
daughters who lived in the area. In the
spring of 2011, a follow-up scan revealed
an area of concern near Salli’s pancreas,
so he came to the Aspirus Regional
Cancer Center for a second opinion
to review and compare all possible
treatment options.
“Having taught anatomy, I think I was
better informed because I had a good
perspective of the human body—where
things are and what the doctors needed
to fix,” Salli said.
High-quality care, close to home
In 2011, Salli underwent two additional
procedures—one to remove the area of
concern on his pancreas, and another to
remove a lump in his chest. He had these
close to home
care
GET GRADE-A CANCER CARE WITHOUT THE TRAVEL.
To learn more about Aspirus Regional Cancer Center, go online to
or call the Aspirus Information
Center at
715.847.2380
or
800.847.4707
.
