Cancerversary 54 Hole Golf Marathon

I have been a patient at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) for almost 12 years now as I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer of the blood in April of 2012. When I was diagnosed, my doctor told me that I would be fortunate to live 8-9 years. I have been through the entire treatment regimen for multiple myeloma which includes 25 radiation treatments, 3 years of daily chemotherapy, an autologous stem cell transplant and a short period of maintenance chemotherapy. Multiple myeloma is incurable and while the level of the disease in me is slowly rising, the level is such that I have been off treatment for nearly 5 years. I see my medical team at The James every 6 months and have lab work done every 3 months.

I am an avid golfer and took up the game shortly after I recovered from the stem cell transplant and took great pride in the fact that at 68 years old, I walk 18 holes every day and carry my own bag. 

For the last 3 years on my Cancerversary (the date I was diagnosed), I play 54 holes of golf all while walking. This is my way of showing that having cancer does not define me.

I would like to turn this day into a fundraiser for multiple myeloma research at The James and as a platform to create awareness of multiple myeloma. I have named it the Cancerversary 54 Hole Golf Marathon. I also see this as a way to acknowledge the tremendous treatment and medical care I received from the hundreds of medical professionals and staff who I have come into contact with at The James over the last 12 years. By raising funds for multiple myeloma research, I hope to pay forward to future multiple myeloma patients.  

I hope you will support my effort to tee it up for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund (306144) at The James!