Quick Summary
History and Diagnosis
On February 10, 2006, while in Florida, Zola had some difficulty speaking. An examination showed he had three lesions in his brain. Further study showed what appeared to be a tumor in his left lung. His liver also appeared to be affected.
On February 15, Zola and Sandra returned to Dallas.
On February 20, A biopsy was performed and Zola was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic squamous cell Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
He has three lesions in his brain and about 9 smaller spots. The lesions are thought to be from cancer tissue that has migrated from the lung.
On February 24, Zola began weekly chemotherapy. He is also receiving radiation treatments five days a week. The brain lesions have shrunk remarkably in size.
Around March 6, two small lumps (tumors) were discovered under Zola’s right arm around the lymph nodes.
Around March 17, Zola stopped chemotherapy and radiation treatments after about a month for two weeks so the treatment effectiveness could be evaluated.
On March 30, the progress of the cancer was checked and while the lung and brain tumors had receded, and the liver was found to be worse. In light of this, they will stop the treatments. The prognosis was set at six to eight weeks.
On Wednesday, April 19 at around 11:15 AM, Zola went to be with the Lord. He went very peacefully in his sleep at his home. He was born on December 3, 1938. He was 67 years old.
Zola is survived by his wife, Sandra; two sons, Mark and Aaron; three grandchildren, David, James and Sarah Levitt, all of Dallas; a sister, Ruth Hammer, and brother, Harold Levitt, both of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and a stepson, Will King of Jerusalem, Israel.
On Saturday, April 22, a private funeral was held in Dallas, TX.
On Sunday, May 7, at 3 PM, there was a public memorial service at the Fellowship Bible Church in Dallas, TX. The service was filmed and may be purchased on DVD or viewed online.
Additional Information and Notes
- A lesion is an area of abnormal tissue, which can be caused by a wound, injury, or inflammation. Lesion is derived from a Latin word which means “injury.”
- The non-small type of cancer is harder to treat than the small type.
- Metastatic cancer is when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Once a cancer has metastasized, it is more difficult to attack or cure.
- Stage 4 is the most advanced stage of lung cancer. This is when the cancer has spread to a distant part of the body, for example, another organ.
- Surgery is almost never used if the cancer has metastasized to another organ.
- Squamous cell carcinoma is cancer of the layered, surface cells of the lungs or bronchi. It may not spread as rapidly as other lung cancers.
- Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells.
- Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs, which causes fluid to collect in the lungs’ air sacs.
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