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Testimonials

Sharing our ties.

When you join the fight against cancer, you are making a difference in the lives of real people. Take a moment to read these inspiring stories.

Five-year Breast Cancer Survivor

Like most people, I thought cancer would never happen to me. After all, I was in my mid-40s, not overweight, active, ate healthy and had no family history of cancer. So, I decided to skip my mammogram. However, I found out that even someone with fewer risk factors can be diagnosed with cancer.

After a lumpectomy and finding out aggressive cancer had spread to nine lymph nodes, I was scared, as anyone would be. I was not sure how much time I would, or may not have. I wondered if I would I see my grandchildren, and what would happen to me. My mind and emotions were in a whirlwind.

I remember people saying that once cancer is in your lymph nodes, it's over. Maybe that was true at one point, but not any longer, thanks to research and new drug therapies. Along with chemo and radiation, I was given a new drug that was still in its clinical stages. Now, that same drug is commonly available to cancer patients.

As a cancer survivor, I can't tell you how important it is for all of us to join together to fight against cancer. Together, we can help with cancer research, funding, education and awareness—to make cancer a word of the past.

Brenda Davis
Five-year breast cancer survivor!

IU Football Player and Cancer Survivor

Thirty-five years ago I was finishing my career as a football player at IU. Like most twenty-somethings, I thought I was invincible (except for knee injuries, broken collarbones and subluxated shoulders).

In 2004, at the age of 52, I started noticing I was having difficulty swallowing and I was losing weight. Except for repairs of old football injuries, I had never been in a hospital. Imagine my surprise when I went in for a routine checkup, mentioned my swallowing issues and, within 24 hours, was told I had Stage IV esophageal cancer that had spread to my lymphatic system. They gave me a 15 percent chance to live six months.

But those doctors underestimated the power of modern chemotherapy, radiation, a new diet and tons of loving support and prayers from family and friends. I even had dozens of guys on an IU sports web site praying for me. Those IU people spread the word of my condition and my old defensive backfield coach Nick Mourouzis started telephoning weekly. He and my wife got to be best of phone-friends while I was sitting in the chemo infusion chair. The next thing I knew I received a call from a man who was always an idol to me-my IU head coach, John Pont.

While I lost 40 pounds and all of my hair, after 12 weeks treatment, my surgeon told me the tumor had shrunk enough to give him a reasonable chance of successful surgery. He removed my esophagus and most of my stomach then reconnected my plumbing. I've had 16 consecutive quarterly CT scans come back NED (No Evidence of Disease).

Today, I'm 56 years old and I'm back to my old IU playing weight. Life is good! I share these thoughts with you to encourage people to pay attention to your swallowing. Don't think it will just go away. Have it examined right away.

I've been wanting to do some small thing for IU and when I heard about the Coach Hep Cancer Challenge I knew this was my chance. I'm going to participate in the bike/run event on May 10. I hope to see many of you out there!

Go Hoosiers!

Marc Bailey
IU Football Player
#48 from 1971-73

IU Student and Brain Cancer Survivor

Cancer Challengers,

I figure you would like to hear my story considering I'm an IU student (now a "super senior") who has survived an Anaplastic Astrocytoma, a grade three form of brain cancer.

I was diagnosed in June of 2007 after a having a significant seizure. I was quickly put on the board for brain surgery and 30 treatments of extensive, yet precise radiation to the brain. Radiation makes one lose her hair, so I cut off my long locks and donated them to Locks of Love. Still, I had what was left fall off in patches where the radiation hit me hardest, so I just shaved it all off and enjoyed a cooler summer. I was, and still am on a regimen of oral chemotherapy amongst a silly other amount of medications.

I never entered a state of mind that was negative. I was 21, in really good shape, and stubborn as the sun...I'll keep rising. I've come up with so many ways to fight this disease that I can't say one thing or another has kept me here as I have struggled to keep weight on, maintain a smile and somehow, still unsuccessfully adjust to being 22, in college, but slapped with the impossible-to-remove cancer sticker.

I am one of the lucky ones. My especially malignant tumor came out through surgery, while one low-grade tumor remains inoperable. I have told it that it's fine up there as long as it decides to be good. If not, we'll have some issues that I am more than willing to clear up with it.

Life is too good. The hardest thing about this disease and being my age is communicating that to peers, even people my parents' age. Only a few seem to truly get it. But, my goal is to write about it in as many different aspects as possible, share the story, and be approachable and easy to talk to about such a difficult topic.

Have a lovely day!

Vanessa Pippenger
IU Student

What's your tie?

Have you been touched by cancer? Email us. We are collecting stories for next year's site!

Sign up for the Coach Hep Indiana Cancer Challenge today.

Don't Quit. Join the Fight.