 by
Seth Blumberg
Seth Blumberg was diagnosed with cancer in September 1994. He
took a year off from undergraduate study at Caltech to complete
his radiation and chemotherapy treatments at Stanford Hospital
and Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California. Following
his treatments, Seth graduated from Caltech in June 1997 and
worked for a medical device company for a year. In 1998 he came
to the University of Michigan as a graduate student in biophysics
and then transferred into the U-M Medical Scientist Training
Program from which he plans to receive his medical and doctor
of philosophy degree. He is 24 years old. I'll
never forget the
bewilderment lderment I felt when I was diagnosed with stage IIIB Hodkgin's disease.
Like most 19-year-olds, I had not previously received such
a strong taste of my vulnerability. Luckily, my oncologist
gave me an immediate sense of hope. He also  mentioned
that having cancer could be an incredible learning experience.
At the time, I did not really know what he meant. However,
as my chemotherapy and radiation treatment progressed, I could
see that my perspective on life was undergoing a deep and
profound transformation.
During treatment, I realized how much I had taken for granted
and I gained a newfound appreciation for the simple things
in life. Before my diagnosis, I never dreamed that I'd be
so thankful that I can run a mile without collapsing, drink
a glass of water without throwing up and pull my hair without
it coming out.
I value my relationships with family and friends more than
I did before. I live more in the present and worry less about
the future. I have more respect and tolerance for individual
feelings and beliefs that may differ from mine. I have a more
realistic perspective of problems facing society and am more
eager to stay active in community service activities. In short,
I feel that my cancer experience has instilled a sense of
"patient passion" in me. I view life as the exciting adventure
it is, but have more patience to deal with obstacles and setbacks.
My big wish is that I could help others acquire some of the
insights I acquired from my cancer experience without having
to endure the consequences of treatment. By trying to live
each day to its fullest, I hope that I set a good example
for others to follow.
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