" If you love somebody, set them free."

A little about me...

Hi! My name is Marc. I am 33 years old. I am a statistician becoming a social worker. Some of my hobbies and interests... Travel, soccer, hiking.

Information about my illness...

In 1981, when I was 16 years old, I was diagnosed with a Lymphoma. I was treated at Memorial Sloane-Kettering, NYC. I had radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and a bone marrow transplant.

My words to others...

My suggestions to other survivors are... Talk to other survivors. If you are here, it probably means you still need some support. Even the most empathetic people rarely can understand the way another survivor can.

The most important lesson I learned from my experience is... Cancer never ends. It's not just good; it's not just bad. It's not anything, but what I make of it and that can vary from day to day.

A positive outcome from my experience is... I have allowed myself to live in a way I never could. I'm still not an all-out risk-taker, but I've done so much more than I would have. I'm pretty sure of that. It gave me an excuse to get emotional help I needed, anyway. I've become so much more in-tune with emotions in myself and in other people. I am studying now to be a social worker. I want to work with kids with cancer or kids in trouble. I want to help others find their own value.

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