It was more significant than a little bump.

“It just kept growing,” the 67-year-old Fort Dodge man said. “It got bigger fast.”

That lump turned out to be cancer. Its discovery put him on a 30-week long treatment regime of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Now, he’s waiting to see if the grueling treatment got rid of the cancer.

Because of his experience, he is urging others to get any mysterious lumps or other unusual conditions checked out by medical professionals.

“You know your own body,” he said. “When something isn’t right, have it checked.”

“When things aren’t the way they’re supposed to be, something’s the matter,” he added.

His advice is being echoed by local medical professionals as they prepare to offer free screenings for oral, head and neck cancers.

The screenings will be offered from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 22 in the Applied Science and Technology Building at Iowa Central Community College.

Scheduled appointments and walk-ins will be welcome. To schedule an appointment, call (515) 574-6183.

This free screening event is a partnership between UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge and Iowa Central Community College.

McDonald recalled that when he first found the lump in his neck, it was checked and found to be benign. He said it was drained, but it came right back.

“Cancer came to my mind,” he said.

He said he started smoking when he was 15 and had switched to vaping when the lump was discovered.

McDonald had the lump checked again, and this time, it tested positive for cancer. A subsequent CT scan revealed two additional cancerous spots in his neck.

His treatment consisted of five weeks of chemotherapy, followed by 25 weeks of radiation therapy. Whenever he had a radiation treatment, he had to lay on his back and a spooky-looking plastic mesh covering was put over his face to ensure that he did not move his head.

McDonald said he had a dry, burning sensation in his throat throughout the treatment regime. Food, he said, tasted like cardboard. Most of his nutrition came via a feeding tube. He said he lost 35 pounds.

He completed his treatment on March 16. He said his sense of taste is slowly coming back.

McDonald now must wait about eight weeks for a scan that will determine if the cancer has been eradicated.

He has high praise for his care team at UnityPoint Health — Norma Schmoker Cancer Center.

“They’re very compassionate,” he said. “I’ve got nothing but good things to say about them.”