Adversary. Plague. Enemy.
In the years that I’ve worked in oncology, those are some of the words I’ve heard used to describe cancer. But as more people worldwide live with the condition, thanks to a growing wave of advanced science and next-generation therapy, a new descriptor is emerging: catalyst.
Fred Reiss, a patient who’s been living with cancer since 1991, says it best: “Cancer is a catalyst. You have a pilot light of talent and spirit, and you have to decide what to do with it.”
He would know. First diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 28, Fred has faced cancer three times in the past thirty years. After each diagnosis, he used comedy to make meaning of his experience and find new ways to bring laughter and perspective to others. Today, he takes his inspirational “FRED Talks” to hospitals and chemotherapy centers around the country.
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