For those who continue to spread the rumor that Dr. Duane Williams plans to retire, you are completely wrong.

Williams said on Thursday from his office at Stabler Clinic on College Street that he has no clue how the rumor began, but he plans on staying in practice for many more years.

Clinic Administrator Jerry Golden said he believes the rumor began after Williams was diagnosed with CML Leukemia.

He said he thinks some may believe that Williams is leaving for health reasons, but that is not the case at all.

&uot;Nothing could be more untrue,&uot; Golden said.

&uot;He has the biggest patient caseload here and he is one of the busiest physicians here. Dr. Williams cares for the children he treats a great deal and I’ve seen him stay here until 7 or 8 p.m. to see all the patients on his books.&uot;

Golden said Williams averages about 40 patients in an 8-hour day.

That equals to approximately five patients each hour.

&uot;I just can’t say enough about his work ethic,&uot; Golden said.

&uot;He’s just phenomenal and stays busy.&uot;

He said he heard that Williams had fallen from a tree one afternoon and broke his hip during a hunting trip, and didn’t expect to see him.

However, he said he was wrong.

&uot;He fell out of the tree one afternoon and the next morning he was here seeing his patients,&uot; he said.

&uot;He is the type of doctor who puts his patients ahead of everything.&uot;

Williams said he simply loves his job and plans to keep doing it for years to come.

&uot;I’m very fortunate,&uot; he said.

&uot;I’m very lucky because I love my job.

Not many people can say that.&uot;

He said he works everyday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and also does on-call rotation.

He said according to records he averages about 9,600 patients a year.

On top of that, he does the usual doctor duties such as rounds at the hospital.

&uot;I believe the patients come first,&uot; he said.

As for Williams’ illness, he said he is in complete remission and that he takes medication on a daily basis and will continue so throughout his life that will keep him in remission.

&uot;My medication cost approximately $5,000 a month, so there is no way that I can afford to retire or quit,&uot; he said. &uot;I’m healthy and I feel good and with that said, I can say that I have no plans for retirement.&uot;

He also said he has a school age daughter and two children in college he is supporting, so why should he retire when his health is good.

Williams is the only board certified pediatrician in the Camellia City and said he understands that his being here is vital to the children’s good health.

He has been here for 15 years, after moving here with his wife Edith Williams from New Orleans.

He went to medical school at LSU and did his residency at Charity Hospital.

He also did a stint in the Air Force and served in Viet Nam.

So Williams said in front of pictures of many of the patients he has treated over the years, for those saying he is retiring, they are misinformed and are spreading rumors.

He said he believes it began when people heard he had leukemia and that it went from there.

&uot;Why should I retire now,&uot; he said.

&uot;I plan to work until I can’t anymore and I plan for that to be a very long time from now.&uot;

To schedule an appointment with your child with Williams, call 382-2681.