Written by Julie Poucher Harbin, Writer, DCI In December 2017 Robert Russell brought donuts to the nurses on all three wards of the ninth floor of Duke Medical Center — something he’s been doing regularly for the past three years. He started the tradition because he says it’s the least he can do for those who saw him through the “scariest” couple weeks of his life. In July 2014, at age 52, Russell was diagnosed by Duke surgical oncologist Ramon Esclamado, MD, with advanced stage human papilloma virus (HPV) associated squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx. The oropharynx is the middle part of the throat, which includes the soft palate, the…