Michael Douglas helps raise cash for Montreal hospital that diagnosed cancer

<p>MONTREAL – Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas gave something back to the Montreal hospital that first detected his throat cancer – a disease several American doctors had missed.</p> <p>Douglas headlined a posh fundraiser Tuesday in Montreal, where he rubbed elbows with well-heeled guests and posed for countless photos.</p> <p>In a speech, he recalled the moment last August when Dr. Saul Frenkiel of Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital found a tumour in his throat.</p> <p>”He came up really close to me and (said) ‘Open your mouth,’ and put a tongue depressor on my tongue,” Douglas said in an eight-minute address.</p> <p>”I looked in his eyes and I knew what I had, and it was sort of a surprised look on his face because I don’t think he expected it.</p> <p>”Then he said, ‘Well, we’ll need a biopsy.’ And I said, ‘Biopsy? Of what?’ “</p> <p>A couple of days later, Frenkiel phoned Douglas and told him he had cancer.</p> <p>Only weeks earlier, Douglas had sought treatment from several doctors elsewhere for his constantly sore throat, but they had all given him a clean bill of health.</p> <p>After Frenkiel’s discovery, the actor went back to the United States for more treatment and found out the cancer was at an advanced stage – Stage 4.</p> <p>”I know you can’t punch out your internist, but there was a definite feeling of doing that,” he said of the person who is now his ex-doctor.</p> <p>”I began the whole process in New York, . . . the radiation and the chemo.</p> <p>”And so far things are good.”</p> <p>To show his gratitude, Douglas, who owns a farm north of Montreal, offered to help raise money for the McGill University-affiliated hospital.</p> <p>So the hospital signed him up as the honoured invitee for the $375-a-head gala at a downtown hotel, an event that lasted for more than four hours.</p> <p>Guests who wanted more time with Douglas shelled out $750 for the VIP tickets, giving them access to his pre-event, meet-and-greet cocktail.</p> <p>The money raised will fund McGill University’s head and neck cancer fund.</p> <p>Douglas, who underwent successful treatments to treat the walnut-sized tumour, looked healthy Tuesday, but he also seemed to tire easily.</p> <p>During the evening, he took a couple of breaks from the event by leaving the bustle of the party to rest in a quieter room.</p> <p>But while he was on the floor, Douglas appeared energized as he shook hands and chatted with guests. </p> <p>At one point, a swarm of ogling, starstruck guests followed Douglas around the hotel’s reception area, snapping photos and taking video clips of the actor.</p> <p>Douglas’ appearance also left an impression on a lead organizer of the event: Frenkiel, his Montreal doctor.</p> <p>Early in the evening, Frenkiel, co-chair of the 17th annual edition of the fundraiser, said the charity had already amassed more than $1 million. He hoped to reach $2 million by the end of the night.</p> <p>”For us, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event to have Michael Douglas, an internationally known celebrity,” said the head and neck surgeon.</p> <p>”To have him here in flesh and blood is a true honour.”</p> <p>Douglas returned the kind words to Frenkiel.</p> <p>”I’m deeply, deeply grateful to Saul and I did tell him . . . ‘Look, anything I can do to help, I’d be glad to,’ ” he said.</p> <p>The doctor was thrilled when Douglas volunteered to lend his star power to the event.</p> <p>”It was his genuine offer as a down to earth individual,” he said. </p> <p>”It says tons about what he is all about.”</p> <p>Douglas and his actress wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, even put themselves up for auction. The biggest item in the live auction was a golf outing with the couple north of Montreal – a package that fetched $180,000.</p> <p>The actor, who announced in January that his tumour was gone, is scheduled to begin shooting the film “Liberace” this spring.</p> <p>Zeta-Jones, 41, who recently announced she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, did not attend the event.</p>