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Update on Mark!

Sorry there haven't been any updates in a while! I blame my mom! It's not like she has anything else to do besides write these updates (yeah right). Before I spoil the good news, I just want to personally thank all of you for all of your support. I can honestly say this battle has been one of the most difficult things I've ever been through. I don't know what I would have done without all of you and your continued support. One of the most difficult parts of this struggle was being away from home last March when I first found out and even this fall when I came back to school. When all I wanted to do was be home -and then when I was home and didn't want to be there either ha ha- each of you helped in some way to keep me going (and I know at times it wasn't pretty)! Anyway, I know that many people faced with these situations don't get to give updates like this with such great news and I don't take for granted how lucky my family is! Thanks again for everything! I couldn't have done it without you!

Here's what my mom wrote:

First of all, I would like to apologize for not keeping you all up to date. My excuses are that we were having too much fun on vacation, and when we got back, I was too behind at work! Mark is now classified as a "complete responder" to his long and arduous treatment over the last 8 months. That designation means that there is no evidence of metastatic disease in his body, and that if he has no recurrence in the next year, he will have an even better prognosis. Considering that only three patients out of 100 are total responders, Mark is in a pretty good place right now! The oncologist said that Mark would have probably only lived six months after his
diagnosis last March if he had not responded to the treatment. That six-month survival estimate was agreed upon by the entire "Tumor Board" at the James Hospital, so we cannot take lightly the fact that Mark would have passed away before Christmas without all the help from researchers, doctors and nurses at the James Cancer Center.


WE ARE SO HAPPY and THANKFUL and JOYFUL!!

Love,
Martha

Comments

Anonymous said…
That's the best news ever Emily, absolutly glorious!!! ;)
2/06/2006 4:55 PM
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