Yes, you heard me right.

I am kicking cancer’s butt as hard as I can. So here is the synopsis of my story:

Before being diagnosed with cancer, I worked in design within the marketing & advertising industry.  My most previous position covered the last nine years before I was forced to leave due to cancer and entering long-term disability. 

In addition to chasing around my three children, I would play soccer during my lunches and on weekends. I was doing Cross-fit about four days a week and finally was in the best shape of my life in my late 30’s.  Then suddenly my world changed forever; it struck me, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer in late November 2021 at the young age of 37.  

I had no obvious symptoms of colorectal cancer prior to the diagnosis.  Seemingly out of the blue, one week I started to become seriously ill. I quickly lost over 40 lbs and looked terrible.  Cancer was altering my life. 

As it goes, at 37 and I wasn’t taken too seriously before I finally was referred to get a colonoscopy to check for cancer.  I had to claw my way through the office and demand it without letting up.  Fast forward, I got my results and it was confirmed that I definitely had cancer; it was heartbreaking and tears fell when I told my wife and faced my kids.  It had spread to my lymph nodes, 90% of my liver taken over by lesions, smallish nodules in my lungs and abdomen lining.  I am also what is called a 3T patient. I have had three different kinds of treatments to kill this cancer: two chemo and one clinical trial/chemo.  To top all that, I have a unique mutation that only occurs in 2% of all colorectal cancer patients (KRAS-G12C): lucky, am I right? It’s obviously metastatic and very fast spreading, but I do not let it get me down. Not ever.  Today, I’m kicking it’s butt once again and I feel like lending out a helping hand.

I am reluctantly putting a pause on my career as fighting cancer has not allowed me to return to the workforce yet.  So, to stay busy while not working professionally, I’ll become more involved in charities.  In fact, I am starting a new effort and working on behalf of two charities. 

First, my new life long effort is to tell about my fight with cancer. Sharing my journey dealing with cancer, going to chemo, and providing health status updates. I hope to help enlighten, inspire, and support the cancer community through my story.  This effort is geared especially toward young adults like myself who are dealing with disease (all cancers), with emphasis on colorectal cancer. 

Secondly, my charity work will start by hosting a fundraising event in partnership with the American Cancer Society, which will receive all proceeds, at the Lake Forest Sports Park on June 1, 2024.  The event is called “Walk the Walk: Fighting Cancer with Friends.”

Lastly, the other charity effort is re-focused on Decked Out Walls which I founded back in 2009 and went through 2017.  Decked Out Walls is about creating custom hand-painted skateboards/artworks for other charities & foundations.  I hope to be able to offer those art pieces to charities for auction at their own fundraising events in the future.   

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RD

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