Start Here: Why Did I create the SupermanHPV Site?
I created SupermanHPV.com for one main purpose, to help those diagnosed with HPV related oral cancer maintain a positive attitude and become mentally strong while battling this cancer. When I realized that I was going to beat my stage IV HPV related oral cancer diagnosis, I decided that one day I would help others by sharing my story and experience. READ MORE
my most recent blog posts:
Father’s Day is very special to me, as I truly love being a dad. There is nothing more important to me than my wife and kids, as my parents raised me to believe that family is everything. Family is sacred.
The song Rise Up by Andra Day brought tears to my eyes today when driving home from picking up bagels for my wife and kids. That may seem like a strange thing for me to share or too personal, however over the past five years it has happened many times with various different songs & experiences.
Being diagnosed with cancer at first can be scary, depressing and even debilitating. Deciding to be Happy, Will Make Everyday Better. Please note that I said Better, not perfect. I know this first hand, as I was diagnosed with HPV tonsil cancer in May 2014. When I was first diagnosed, I scoured the internet searching for information about HPV Tonsil cancer (aka oropharyngeal cancer, throat cancer, oral cancer) and almost immediately I became even more worried. Back then, almost everything I read was depressing. All conversations and articles focused on the challenges with treatment and the disease. There was virtually nothing focused on how to beat HPV related tonsil cancer while Living A Happy Life & Enjoying Each Day, and how life would be Awesome Afterwards. I wanted hope, and virtually nothing I read provided it to me. That was my primary reason for launching www.SupermanHPV.com in 2017.
Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli - Voices of Angels - Their song Time To Say Goodbye brings Tears of Joy to My Heart as it reminds me of the time I finished Battling Stage IV HPV Throat Cancer, and transitioned to Sharing My Story to Help Others in Need.
I hope this blog encourages you to shoot for the stars, to accomplish your dreams. My hope is that you believe anything is possible, and that you can overcome any challenges that come your way. As a stage IV HPV throat cancer survivor, staying positive is key to serving as a role model for other survivors, caregivers and those currently battling cancer. Being positive was critical as I was battling cancer back in 2014.
As a stage IV HPV throat cancer survivor, listening to music really helped me when I was struggling through chemo and radiation treatments back in 2014. When I think about how different life could have been for my wife, kids, family and friends had I not beaten cancer, music inspires me to be strong and remain positive so that I can share my story to protect others from HPV related cancers.
I just spent two amazing days in Las Vegas where I was the Key Note speaker for Immunize Nevada's Silver Syringe Awards.
Peloton's 2018 Home Rider Invasion (HRI) is May 4 - 6 at the studio in Chelsea, New York. If you are not familiar with Peloton, please visit www.OnePeloton.com. I am not an employee of Peloton, although I am a Peloton enthusiast, promoting it to all of my family and friends since buying the home spinning bike back in December 2015. Last year's HRI was awesome, and I'm confident that this year will blow last year out of the water.
Dr. David Diamond is my radiation oncologist and my friend. He is smart, very well respected and has tremendous bedside manner. Back in May 2014 when I was initially diagnosed with HPV-related tonsil cancer, also knows as squamous cell carcinoma and oropharyngeal cancer, he was one of my first phone calls after calling my family. It was an emotional call for me, as I was reaching out to a doctor I knew from social events to share that I was likely becoming his patient. My life would now be in his hands.
This blog will be short, sweet and to the point. As I deal with those diagnosed with HPV-related oral cancer, many appreciate this simple suggestion: "Write down you questions ahead of time. Type them up and print them or type them into your Notes app on your cell phone."
2018 New Staging for HPV-related Oropharyngeal Cancer - I am excited to share that as of January 2018 New Staging was released for those diagnosed with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer. When I first learned about this new staging I was concerned that somehow my story would be less meaningful and important for those who heard it, and that it would have less of an impact in creating awareness and saving lives worldwide. I have since changed my mind, and am more enthusiastic than ever to share my story. I believe this new staging will give people hope and confidence to fight to survive.
This has been an awesome week for HPV awareness. I must thank Maggie Fox, Senior Writer for NBC News for contacting me on Monday evening interested in learning more about my stage IV HPV-related oral cancer story.
Dr. Henry Ho is my ENT & and as far as I'm concerned a Superhero. He diagnosed my cancer back in May 2014, did my surgery, and saved my life.
Happy Birthday to me - My office places sticky notes on my door to my office - Sharing what they love most about me - What a surprise!
What an awesome weekend. I flew to Dallas with my 16 year old son Ryan to meet Jay, a fellow cancer survivor with my same diagnosis, and Julie, his best friend of ten years.
My 16 year old daughter Lauren created the following last week in Language Arts - I am so touched and honored. It makes my heart smile and brought a tear to my eye.
August 11th is one of my favorite days of the year. Just three years ago on August 11, 2014 I rang the bell celebrating my last radiation & chemo treatment while battling stage IV HPV-related oral cancer.
Remind yourself daily what's important. I stress this as I was 44 years old when I got diagnosed with stage 4 HPV related tonsil cancer. My actual diagnosis was Squamous Cell Carcinoma of my left tonsil, as my cancer had spread from my tonsil to two lymph nodes in my neck.
I am extremely grateful that Dr. Ezra Cohen introduced me to Holly Boykin, the Executive Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Alliance (HNCA). Dr. Ezra Cohen is an HNCA board member, as well as a board certified oncologist and an internationally renowned translational researcher.
Chemotherapy and radiation were certainly no fun, although they were critical for my survival. When I initially received my stage four diagnosis, I immediately asked my ENT, about surgery, chemo and radiation. He told me that with surgery and radiation alone, my chances for survival were approximately 85%.
I created SupermanHPV.com for one main purpose, to help those diagnosed with HPV related oral cancer maintain a positive attitude and become mentally strong while battling this cancer. When I realized that I was going to beat my stage 4 HPV related oral cancer diagnosis, I decided that one day I would help others by sharing my story and experience.
This blog will be short, sweet and to the point. Strong oral hygiene is extremely important and may one day change your life. My radiation oncologist and other doctors told me that one of the reasons I had such a positive outcome regarding the side effects from radiation, was that I went into my first radiation treatment already having excellent oral hygiene.
How’d I get addicted to cycling then spinning, and why has it changed my life? It all started back in September 2015, when I was lying in bed dealing with the side effects from 7 weeks of chemo and radiation. I received an email from a friend of mine, Gonzalo Garcia, who had completed the Ride to Conquer Cancer, a two-day cycling cancer fundraiser which was held in the Washington DC area, cycling 140 miles over two days.