The Challenges of Cancer

Each and every one of us has to leave our life eventually, mostly against our will…

 

Globally, cancer continues to be one of the most difficult medical problems for our skilled doctors to solve. Worldwide, new cancer cases hit 19.3 million people in 2020, with female breast cancer (@ 11.7%), lung (@ 11.4%), colorectal (@ 10 %) and other cancers killing almost half of them; lung cancer remains the leading cause of death. Brain cancer ranks far lower (22nd)… also, it's less than 2% of all cancers, yet 12th in mortality

It is *absolutely awful* to manage such enormously challenging attacks, especially those that are inside of your skull--very limited amounts of hard-bounded space provide no room at all for such “strangers” to take up residence and begin to grow… The enigmaWebster of a brain tumor became an intensely intimate part of my life in the late 90's, and as I am now past my 25th Anniversary, I’m a very lucky successful

Survivor!!

The ever-increasing rate of cancers have a significant impact on almost everyone’s life, so I’ve lifted a number of points from various locations around the web that might help share some of my first-person-singular experiences with you. Allow me to apologize in advance, dear reader, for some of the information below is far from pleasant reading… perspective is everything, however, so I’m hoping that your viewpoints on life and work will be enhanced by this visit!

Regards, Don Shave

The Smiley Baldy guy after Brain Surgery (May'98)

< Click on the picture (or here) to view Don's diary…

Simple web searches for “brain tumor” will pop up dozens of hits, both interesting and important… here are some pages that I have found to be particularly relevant:

·       After my May'98 diagnosis, meandering around the web brought me to an inspiring tale about Steve dePesa’s “Journey & Survival” (the website I found is sadly gone) with the same disease as me, a grade-4 (the worst kind) Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) brain cancer assault. I tried to contact Steve back then but with no response… I learned later that he had passed away in July'98 after battling for two years. This happened to Steve just a few months after the start of my own journey.

·      It’s not easy for those of us who are affected nor for those who are our caregivers to read these stories, but it’s very much worth the investment of your time. Visit with Richard Karpf (who passed away Oct’98)… View a very personal connection, Karen Panelli, who sadly passed away in February of 2003.

·      The American Brain Tumor Association site is filled with relevant facts, data and linkages as is the fundraising site, Strain for the Brain.

On a personal front, I spent some time with my darling caregiver in the spring of 2000 going back and forth trying to decide to write a little about my experiences for GEMS' internal newsletter. The story ended up as a news headline in June'00: "GEMS' PET Equipment Assists In Employee Don Shave's Battle and Triumph Over A Brain Tumor"…I also spent some more time in the fall of 2000 in front of a professional video crew along with a couple of other GE folks (Sue Batten and Hal Rathburn) to capture some personal perspectives on our personal cancer experiences for GEMS' annual management kickoff review in Jan'01. Here's the final 6-minute video… GE 2001 Florida Opener viewable from inside GE only…

Ongoing research continues to brighten our lives on all fronts with cancer and related diseases. All we need is a little more time with research like the Human Genome Project… just a little more time and we'll all be able to look back on all of this much like Polio, or the Thalidomide fetal fiasco of the 60's…

Go, Science, GO!!