I'm hoping you'll take a moment to read about this man...



I read his story earlier this week in the Daily News...and was so moved by it I kept the article. After talking in orgNotes just now about cancer and its often devistating effects (my sister died from cancer, as did my aunt...and I have an uncle who's been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and hasn't been given much time left...), I thought I'd share this one man's story...truly inspirational.

Man Of The Year Gets Courage From Kids

"When you make a promise this important, you don't dare break it, Spncer Shiffman said. You thank the man upstairs for the extra time, then you go out and work your tail off to make that promise come true.

And one night in June, 2003--six years after the doctors said you'd be dead from the three types of cancer attacking your body--you're standing in a ballroom instead, being feted by the City of Hope Medical Center as its Man of the Year.

Receiving the Spirit of Life Award, and being called a man of courage and inspiration by people like former California Gov. Gray Davis, U.S. Mayor james hahn, and a host of local Congress members, who recognized your work raising money for the National Childhood Cancer Foundation. But the accolades that mean the most come from your own mother, and other mothers like Kathleen Balaschak, who's 12-year-old son, Cody, is battling cancer right now.

Battling the disease the way you were back when you sat with your own mother in the waiting room of a Houston medical office, where a doctor was providing experimental treatments to kids from all over the world suffering from brain cancer. You weren't a kid anymore, but that didn't matter. You had run out of options. After five life-threatening operations, and seven different forms of chemotherapy that didn't work, you were looking for a miracle.

It didn't happen. But it didn't matter anymore because you came to realize there was another reason you were sitting in that waiting room. You had some kids you had to see. Then, you had a promise to make.

"I was there as a last resort," said Shiffman, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer 17 years ago at age 24, just weeks after finishing the New York City Marathon. "Every six weeks, I'd fly into Houston accompanied by my backbone--my mom--and sit in that waiting room watching kids with deformed heads from the brain cancer come in with their mothers. It broke my heart," the Calabasas man said.

One day in that waiting room, her son leaned in close to her and made his promise, Diane Sharlin said. "The room was literally wall-to-wall with cancer children, and their parents were so desperate," she said. "Spencer looked at me and said, 'Mom, if I live through this, I'm devoting the rest of my life to fighting for these kids."

Diane took her son's hand, and for the first time in a long time put a real smile on her face, not a brave one. For years, she had been pleading with her son not to give up--not to listen to the doctors who had tried everything and said it was futile. "These kids gave Spencer the courage to keep going" she said Monday. "They made him realize this couldn't be the end because he had so many important things left to do."

Liz Shotwell, a development specialist for the National Childhood Cancer Foundation, said Monday that more than 40,000 children with cancer are currently being treated through her foundation that works in conjunction with City of Hope and 200 other hospitals nationally. "Sp[encer has been the most positive and amazing inspiration for us," she said. "He's done an incredible job of getting the word out, and raising funds. Last year, his charity golf tournament raised over $100,000 for cancer research."

In August, Balaschak's son Cody will be honored at Shiffman's charity golf tournament at el Caballero Country club in Tarzana. "Spencer's just one of those people who doesn't give up, and that means a lot to these kids," she said. "He knows firsthand what Cody is going through right now, having his cancer come back after being in remission. He's just a wonderful person to be fighting for our kids like this."

Not a wonderful person, Spencer said. Just a guy with cancer who was supposed to be gone by now. Getting some extra time from the man upstairs to fulfill a very important promise.
***

I admire people like this... It is not about me (him), it is about them... He deserves many kudos for the path that was chosen for him.

Thanks Norby!

Much

thanks for sharing that story


I'll keep them all in my prayers.

sag10 said:

Norby...lol

Awesome. The world does have hope

Frodo: I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.

Gandalf: So do all that come to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.

My favourite lines from the Fellowship.

Therapy said:

Because they are resoundly true...

Therapy

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Yes

PS SFOS

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

The world definitely needs more men, more souls, like this man...

I'm trying to become one.

Therapy said:

Mine, too...*smile*...

There's a great line about dying from "Return of the King" that Gandalf says to Merry (or Pippen, whichever) that I can't remember... But when I heard it in the movie, I thought it was spiritual and profound...

Byron said:

AWWW...

You know how great I think you are already. I don't need to tell you here.

Sweeny79 said:

Do you remember what my tarot card readings were all saying??...lol

what a wonderful story.

Beautiful!

Paisley said:

Byron said:

It was something about death not being the end, something about passing into a white light, I remember that one too, I cried when he said it.

Therapy said:

And he said it with a sincere and almost excited smile and expression on his face...I loved that beautiful touch.

How touching Byron.. Thanks for posting that..