Cancer isn’t fair. Cancer doesn’t need a reason. It chooses its survivors without an explanation as to why.

In September of 2012 my dad was diagnosed with cancer in his larynx. As an otherwise extremely healthy, active, 56 year old non-smoker, the reasoning for his diagnosis was “bad luck.” As a junior at Colby College studying in Spain at the time, the concept of my dad having cancer was more foreign than anything I experienced abroad.

In the following two years my dad underwent 8 endoscopic surgeries to remove a small but reoccurring tumor in one of his vocal cords. Each time it was removed dad would be ok for a few weeks before the all too familiar tickle in his throat returned. He went through chemotherapy and radiation (throughout which he continued to work and exercise beyond anyone’s comprehension) however, the cancer didn’t cooperate and his surgeries became a regular occurrence.

In August of 2014 it became clear that this problem wasn’t going away easily. The issue was growing, literally, and for the first time my dad’s cancer spread from its isolated and recurring spot.

In September of 2014, my dad underwent major surgery to remove his larynx, the only location of cancerous cells to that point. But, yet again, his cancer didn’t cooperate. The surgeon was unable to achieve “negative margins” or a surrounding area of tissue that was cancer free. Further surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation were all recommended.

After two long years and a seemingly endless string of bad luck, Dr. Deschler at Mass. Eye and Ear Head and Neck Surgical Oncology confidently put forth a plan to remove more tissue in my dad’s neck and throat. Dr. Lin then reconstructed the entire area inside and out with tissue from my dad’s own arm and leg. They were confident their plan was my dad’s best chance at leaving cancer behind and offered hope.

The surgery was long, painful, and terrifying — and that’s just for me as a witness. After 8 hours of surgery, they had achieved negative margins. It would be a long process of healing from surgery, and he would be worn down again by chemo and radiation before he would really feel better, but in that moment he was cancer free.

The next three weeks of recovery at Mass. Eye and Ear were emotionally and physically draining for our family, but he was in good hands beyond his medical needs. The nurses got to know him and cared about him as a person not just as a patient. They talked to him about his strong faith and comforted him when he was nervous or afraid. The staff and nurses at Mass. Eye and Ear taught me about skin grafts, calcium, feeding tubes, and stomas, but also about compassion, religion, faith, and hope.

Dad started chemo and radiation in November and at the end of his first week we were in the Emergency Room at Mass. Eye and Ear with complications. We were scared and didn’t want to be back in the hospital. But then the familiar faces started to appear. Nurses, aides, residents, and everyone in between began to say hi and address us by name. One nurse immediately wheeled in a reclining chair for my mom to sleep in for the night (and the next several nights) and it felt like our whole family was being taken care of. During a 3:00am wake up call for blood to be drawn while I slept in the hospital bed next to him, I decided that if my dad can fight the physical and emotional torment of cancer, I can run 26.2 miles.

I’m running the 2015 as a proud member of Team Mass. Eye and Ear to say thank you for the care my dad, and my entire family, has received at Mass. Eye and Ear. Cancer sucks. It’s scary, it’s unrelenting, and it’s indiscriminately cruel. But the people at Mass. Eye and Ear have made my family’s experience with this nasty disease a little bit better.

My dad had no choice in where, when, or why cancer hit him. But the rest of us get to choose how we support those who have “bad luck” and their journey to become survivors. Please help me as I raise funds for Team Mass. Eye and Ear and support them in their continued fight against Head and Neck Cancers.

On behalf of my entire family, Team Mass. Eye and Ear, and myself: thank you.

Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary wrote -

Massachusetts Eye and Ear clinicians and scientists are driven by a mission to find cures for blindness, deafness and diseases of the head and neck. Now united with Schepens Eye Research Institute, Mass. Eye and Ear is the world’s largest vision and hearing research center, developing new treatments and cures through discovery and innovation.

Mass. Eye and Ear is a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and trains future medical leaders in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, through residency as well as clinical and research fellowships. Internationally acclaimed since its founding in 1824, Mass. Eye and Ear employs full-time, board-certified physicians who offer high-quality and affordable specialty care that ranges from the routine to the very complex.

U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals Survey” has consistently ranked the Mass. Eye and Ear Departments of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology as top five in the nation.

Every dollar raised makes it possible for Mass. Eye and Ear to excel in clinical care, research and medical education. That, in turn, allows us to provide the finest specialty care to every person who comes through our door and to share our knowledge in order to help patients around the world.

Thank you for your support.