Mayor’s kidney removal complete

Cancer did not spread, doctor says

By Stephanie Brien
Journal Times

Monday, December 1, 2008 5:59 PM CST

RACINE — Doctors successfully removed Mayor Gary Becker’s cancerous kidney Monday, said City Administrator Ben Hughes.

Becker went into surgery about 7:30 a.m. at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa and the operation took about 90 minutes, Hughes said.

“His doctor indicated it was a success,” said Hughes, who talked to Becker’s wife, Julie Becker, Monday morning.

Julie Becker also told Hughes that the doctor is very confident that the cancer was confined to his kidney and he should recover completely, Hughes said.

Mayor Becker is expected to stay in the hospital for the next two to three days to recover.

He then plans to spend a week or so recovering at home, Hughes said.

“Knowing the mayor he will want to be back before then,” Hughes said.

Already Becker has requested that someone from the city bring him a laptop so he can work from the hospital, Hughes said.

An upper respiratory infection was affecting Becker for a few weeks leading up to the election, and he was hospitalized for two days following the November election.

An X-ray later determined that Becker did not have pneumonia, but doctors did discover a tumor on one of his kidneys and the kidney operation was scheduled.

Typically kidney tumors are found when people go in for X-rays for something other than kidney problems, said Dr. Robert Donnell, a urologic cancer specialist with the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center.

Kidney surgery has become routine with very positive results, Donnell said.

In the days leading up to the surgery, Becker was very optimistic.

“They say the kidney is today’s gall bladder operation. It’s gotten to be pretty routine, as routine as removing a body organ can be,” Becker said. “To be honest with you, you figure you’re in pretty good hands. It doesn’t give me a whole lot of concern.”

While Becker is recovering Hughes will handle the city’s day-to-day business and Alderman David Maack will run Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Becker said.

Hughes said Julie Becker wanted to thank everyone for their prayers and support. At this time visits are only available to family members, Hughes said.

“He’ll be back to work in no time.” said Hughes.

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