For Opelousas native, Michael LeDay, being conscientious about his body ended up saving his life.

In late 2016, Micheal began experiencing a wave of concerning symptoms including extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, persistent laryngitis, and a cough that would not go away. When his symptoms intensified, he knew it was time to seek medical attention and went to the emergency department at Opelousas General.

There, a series of evaluations, diagnostic tests, and imaging revealed something far more serious – a mass on his vocal cords that turned out to be cancerous.

Michael quickly moved forward with treatment, undergoing surgery to remove the malignant mass, followed by outpatient radiation treatment at Opelousas General South Campus. He credits otolaryngologist, Dr. Jason Trahan, for not only identifying the issue, but for performing the live-saving surgery that put him on the path to recovery.

Today, Michael is cancer-free and carries with him a renewed perspective on life. His journey reshaped his outlook, teaching him to take each day as it comes and never take his health for granted. His message to others is simple, “Listen to your body. If something does not feel right, do not wait, get it checked out.”