RACINE, Wis. — At 95 years old, Al Unger isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
“On the back of my Honor Flight jacket, it says, ‘Every day is a bonus,’” said Unger.
Twice a week, you can find him at the cardiac rehab clinic at All Saints Hospital, focusing on strengthening both his mind and body.
“I always said if you worry about things, it’s going to give you ulcers — and that’ll eat you up,” Unger said.
That positive attitude came in handy last year when Unger received life-changing news: a lymphoma diagnosis. It all started after persistent swelling appeared on the right side of his jaw.
His search for answers led him to multiple specialists, scans, and eventually led him to Ascension All Saints Cancer Center, where doctors discovered he had large B-cell lymphoma — an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“He had the type of lymphoma that tends to be pretty aggressive,” said Dr. Kaoutar Tlemcani, a medical oncologist at All Saints Hospital.
“Those types are not really something you can just leave alone — the prognosis would be poor if untreated,” Dr. Tlemcani said.
However, Al’s case was unique. At his age and with a heart valve condition, the treatment had to be carefully tailored.
Watch: 95-year-old Racine man proves it’s never too late to fight back against cancer
“We didn’t have a preset plan,” Tlemcani said. “We decided we would go low and slow, and then each cycle, we would make a decision based on how each cycle was tolerated. It was very individualized, unique to him,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Unger’s care team worked together to make sure he could safely complete treatment.
“His sons were quick to report any potential side effects, and we quickly modified treatment,” Tlemcani said.
Unger said a positive attitude, along with the compassionate care of Dr. Tlemcani and the All Saints staff, made all the difference.
“She was the best,” Unger said.
Today, Unger is back to his regular workouts, defying the odds and inspiring others around him.
His reason for sharing his story is simple: He hopes it helps someone else facing a similar diagnosis.
“When you hear the big word — cancer — you’re scared to death,” Unger said. “But if my story can help someone else get through it, that’s fine by me,” he said.
At 95, Unger is proof that age is just a number — and that with faith, positivity, and the right team behind you, it’s never too late to fight back.
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