Pediatrician Dr. Cecilio Eck Diagnosed with Stage Four Cancer

He survived a devastating bout with COVID back in 2021, but now, well-known Pediatrician Dr. Cecilio Eck is facing an even greater health threat, cancer. Eck was recently diagnosed with stage four cancer affecting multiple organs in his body. He told our newsroom that after his stint with COVID, he had been doing all his regular checkups and up until earlier this year, nothing seemed wrong. However, when a fellow doctor playfully signed him up to get a CT scan of his heart at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, the radiographer found an issue with his lungs. Eck had also gone to do an x-ray of his shoulder due to an injury he sustained moving a scaffolding and a tumor was discovered. He explained that more tests need to be conducted to determine the source of the cancer.

Dr. Cecilo Eck, Pediatrician: “The X-ray showed a missing part of my bone and what that equals to is a tumor affecting the bone and when I showed the radiologist who was on he said Doc we have to do a full body CT with contrast to see what else is there. And after that was done it showed that the lesions were affecting the liver, the lung, a couple of my ribs, my pelvis, and of course this the upper art of my humerus, my arm. So that equals in our view as docs if it’s multiple lesions in multiple organs it’s a very aggressive tumor and it is more likely than not stage 4 because it has spread. So on Wednesday our interventional radiologist Dr.Carrillo he works at KHMH did a biopsy on both my shoulder and my liver and we sent it out and preliminary results came back yesterday showing that it was adenocarcinoma but where it is originating form they have to do further studies to delineate that. Cancer is literally uncontrolled multiplication of cells. So if you have breast cancer, breast tissue is overgrowing without control. If you have tongue cancer tongue tissue is overgrowing without control. So that’s the carcinoma part. Adeno means glands so this says that the carcinoma or the cancer is from an organ that produces mucous or glandular tissues and those would be esophagus, salivary glands, pancreas or the gut stomach and the colon, prostate. So the further tests will tell that.”

Eck says he knows that the road ahead will be a difficult one physically and emotionally, but also financially. A GoFundMe page has been launched and he is hoping that he can receive much-needed support to fight and win against the cancer.

Dr. Cecilo Eck, Pediatrician: “We had started a GoFundMe that time and it had helped but what helped a lot is regular people and it was humbling back then to me to know that my patients would send videos of them breaking open their piggy bank and say “Doc. Doctor Eck I’m sending you three dollars and four dollars.” And when I saw humbled back then was very proud and didn’t want help and you know didn’t think I needed help but the little bit that everybody gave turned into a big help. This time I know it will be more and despite having some part of my insurance available the cost to get care will be a lot. I know that I have a difficult road ahead of me. I’m convinced when you look at the statistics for end stage 4 cancer the five year survival ranges from between zero to maybe twenty, thirty percent. The same thing though was said about COVID. A lot of people would stay at home and you know mope and I’ve always said I love what I do, I literally wouldn’t want to do anything else and being productive here is actually therapeutic to me. It’s good that I’m here that I can still work, I can still see patients and talk to them. Yeah. I mean I wouldn’t not do this unless I can’t.”

Cecilio Eck has been a doctor for 28 years and has dedicated nineteen of those years to pediatrics. Eck also serves as the president of the organization Friends of Pediatrics and as the Belize medical director for the organization World Pediatrics. Those wishing to support Dr. Eck’s fight against cancer can donate to the GoFundMe page set up by Milagro Garel.