iPromise

The year 2012 started normally for me, my wife Katie and our 7-month-old son, Caleb. Everything changed after I started experiencing sporadic stomach pain. A family practitioner ordered exams, and I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Two days later, Dr. Mariela Blum at MD Anderson agreed to see me, the very next day.

We knew we’d made the right choice. Dr. Blum was kind, honest, humble and most important, positive.

"Why are you the best person to help me win this battle?" I asked. Dr. Blum responded, ‘I alone am not. But I’m part of a world-class team of surgeons, radiologists and oncologists. Our collaborative approach is what we believe provides you with the best care."

I asked my surgeon, Dr. Paul Mansfield, what he thought was the key to his patients’ success, expecting to hear about medical advancements or research. Instead he said, ‘Attitude, attitude, attitude.’ Our motto became ‘Let’s go take care of it’.

When we learned that infertility might be a side effect of treatment, we decided that as long as Caleb had a daddy, we’d worry about the rest later.

After chemotherapy and radiation, on Nov. 30, 2012, Dr. Mansfield removed my stomach and declared me cancer-free. I still come to Houston every few months for
surveillance.

We continue to be impressed with the care we received at MD Anderson, especially from Dr. Mansfield, Dr. Blum and their teams. We welcomed our daughter, Gracie Blum, on Sept. 2, 2014. We feel she’s here because of an extra measure of grace and Dr. Blum’s willingness to quickly accept my case.  We’ll never underestimate the power of prayer, a healthy support system and a positive attitude."

Do you promise? Tell us why you’re committed to Making Cancer History^® by sending an email to Promise@mdanderson.org.