My Journey..
It started with some pain in my stomach that I thought might be appendicitis. Boy, was I wrong. After two trips to the ER, some antibiotics, a CT scan, and a colonoscopy, I was told on March 16, 2022, that I had colon cancer.

I was at a local hospital and had surgery there, but the doctor was unable to get the tumor out because it was the size of a softball. After we consulted with Dr. Jeffery Farma, a surgical oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, he assured my wife and I that he could get the tumor out. An ambulance brought me to Fox Chase the day after my first surgery.

I got another CT scan at Fox Chase and Dr. Farma and his team performed surgery on me the next day, my second major surgery in three days. Thankfully, Dr. Farma was able to get the whole tumor out, and I started chemo treatments after that under the care of Dr. Efrat Dotan, a medical oncologist. I had my treatments every two weeks for a little over six months. During treatments, I was able to go with my dad and two of my kids to Ireland and England for a soccer tournament and to sightsee.

During one of my follow-up CT scans the doctors noticed two spots on my lungs, and in December I had surgery to remove them.  Dr. Stacey Su, a thoracic surgical oncologist, removed them. After testing, I was told that I had a second form of a primary cancer. This time it was lung cancer.

After that, I thought I was on the mend, but a little while later I started having some more pain. Dr. Farma and Dr. Juan Lucas Poggio, a surgeon specializing in colorectal cancer, sent me to have a biopsy. It turned out that I had a third primary cancer, this time a rare form of anal cancer. I had radiation and chemo daily during the week for five weeks.

The tumor got a little smaller, but the only way to get rid of it completely was with more surgery. So I had an abdominal perineal resection, which is the removal of my sigmoid colon, rectum, and anus and construction of a permanent colostomy. I am now through another major surgery and starting to feel better. I am back coaching soccer, back to teaching, and trying to live my life as best as possible.

My Idea to Giveback.
I have been coaching soccer in my area at the youth, high school, and college level for over 20 years. I love the game and I wanted to give back to Fox Chase because they have given me so much to be thankful for. I am able to live my life somewhat normally and be with my family and friends again. I’ve had a very long 19 months but I know I am really lucky. Cancer is such an awful disease and takes so many people from the world. I just want the doctors, nurses, and staff at Fox Chase to understand how much they have given me back with their amazing care during the hardest part of my life.

Family, Friends & The Soccer Community.
I am asking for help with various things to make this tournament a huge success and help all of us give back to Fox Chase as much as possible.  If you are able to help, please contact us via email.