My dear father, Harry passed away last Friday

All,

My dear father passed away on Friday, June 3, 2011. His obituary and link to the guestbook can be found at (please copy and paste the link)

http://www.lakelawnmetairie.com/obituaries/tribute.html?url=http://www.lakelawnmetairie.com/obituaries/tribute.html?url=http://stei-23818.tributes.com/show/Harry-Collins-91624617.

I am in New Orleans right now and the funeral is scheduled for Friday.

My father was an amazing man who fought this beast and was proud he was able to hopefully help in a small way to find better ways to treat esophageal cancer. We had an unbelievable experience in Pittsburrgh from the staff at UPMC, Dr. Gibson, the staff and nurses at the Shadyside Hospital, the folks at the Family House and the hospice workers from VITAAS. When we made the decision that dad was unable to continue with the chemo, even though it was working. "First do no harm" is real.

We fought this battle as a family - and have been to Sloan Ketting in New York, MD Anderson in Houston and dad's local hospital. But doctor Gibson was willing to go the extra mile for dad and do what none of the other doctors were willing to do. He applied for an individual clinical trial for dad and got the drugs that medicare wouldn't pay for - and that dad had fought to get from day one. And of all the doctors who I worked with over the last two years Dr. Gibson was the most caring, and down to earth doctor who listened and spoke to us and asked us what was important to dad and talked to dad about what he wanted. I had the doctor at Sloan who refused to even consider letting my dad in a clinical trial because it was her opinion that he had to have treatment in NO, or the doctor at MD Anderson who was interested in his clinical trial but unwilling to go to bat for dad when it turned out he got the placibo and needed help to enter another trial.

My folks were in Pittsburgh at the family house and we couldn't bring him home to the family house for hospice care and didn't want him to spend his last days in a nursing home or rehab hospital --- the folks in Pittsburgh moved heaven and earth to find us an apartment that would let us move into on a month to month basis (Knowing we were going to have hospice come in and out and have someone likely die there) - helped us furnish the apartment, provided us with dishes etc. and then made sure we had round the clock help with dad because of his condition at home. His last days were amazing and what a gift to my mom. Having him at our makeshift home allowed us to be there with him --- he had developed anxiety when we left him in the rehab hospital.

We really felt like the people became part of our extended family - and they showed true love and compassion. My dad was forever grateful for the opportunity he had. And so is my entire family. We have asked that in lieu of flowers memorial donations be made to UPMC in care of Dr. Gibson for Esophageal Cancer Research.

Much love,
Cindy