MOMENTS IN SARCOMA AWARD RECIPIENT: TODD ANDREWS
http://awards.team-sarcoma.net/
On April 28, 2009, the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative announced the two recipients of the Moments in Sarcoma awards. Todd Andrews, an osteosarcoma survivor from Minneapolis, MN, received a sponsorship to participate in the “core” Team Sarcoma Initiative bike tour. While some of Todd and Karen’s thoughts were presented in the press release, we thought visitors might enjoy reading more of what they had to say about their lives and the Moments in Sarcoma award.
An Interview with Todd:
Q: How did you choose what to write about for the Moments in Sarcoma project?
Todd: Having battled this disease for five years now, there were plenty of moments I could have written about. A lot of very meaningful or moving moments, but when I thought back to right after I was diagnosed, other than the actual bad news, this was the moment that stood out. “Here Comes the Sun” has been a theme song and an inspiration in my continued fight and something I hadn’t told a lot of people about, so this seemed like a great way to really express how big of a moment it was to me. In fact, what I wasn’t able to tell in the story (given the word count constraint) is that after I left the clinic that day, the song came on again in the car on my way home and then later the next day. And it’s not as if this is a song that’s played a lot, so while it definitely seemed like the sign I was looking for at the time, “someone” made sure the message was reinforced a couple more times, just in case I missed it the first time.
Q: You were told that you probably wouldn’t live 5 years when you were 26 years old. Most of us can’t imagine…what was that like?
Todd: Well, I wasn’t actually told that until it metastasized to my lungs in 2005. Originally, the doctor told me that in 65 to 70% of cases, osteosarcoma is curable if caught early enough. At the time they were hopeful mine was. When we asked what happened to the other 30-some percent, the doctor was honest with us and told us, “they die.” But I just always lumped myself into the “curable” group from the beginning and told myself and my family that I would beat it. And I believed it. I still do. So even when it came back in my lungs and the doctor gave me those horrible odds of survival, I was certainly scared but I wasn’t about to call it quits. The numbers by themselves can be scary, but like one of the doctors told me, I’m one person, not a percentage of a person so those numbers don’t mean much to me specifically. I figure given the incredibly slim odds of even getting this cancer in the first place (nothing about my osteosarcoma has ever been considered “typical”) I’ve already kind of “won the cancer lottery,” so why can’t I overcome the odds and keep on living? Possibly until they find a cure. I guess that’s always been my attitude.
Q: What has helped you beat the odds?
Todd: I think aside from keeping a positive attitude, the support group I have around me in my wife and family and friends has been a huge source of strength to me. They keep me going. Even with cancer, I love my life and it’s because I get to spend it surrounded by incredibly wonderful and amazing people.
Q: What are your hopes for the Team Sarcoma bike tour experience?
Todd: When I was a kid, I used to participate in bike tours with my dad and brother. But that was almost 20 years ago, so this is a terrific opportunity to do another one and get a chance to relive a little bit of my childhood. Aside from that, I’m also really interested to meet the other people on the tour because we already have a passion for curing sarcomas in common and I’m excited to find out what else we might have in common. It should be a blast!
Q: Who will come with you, and how have are they significant in your life?
Todd: My wife and dad will be joining me. Obviously they are both incredibly important to me. Karen, my wife, has been by my side throughout my entire battle and provides me with more love and support than anyone - she’s absolutely amazing. My dad lives a few hours away, so I don’t see him as much as I might like, but like I said, we both have such fond memories of our past bike tours when I told him about this one his immediate response was “Where is it? I’ll be there.” This bike tour can’t help but make some great memories for all of us. I can’t wait.
Q: Is it important to work to increase sarcoma research funding? If so, why?
Todd: Absolutely. There are no “insignificant” cancers - they all need to be researched and studied. But I think because sarcomas are less prevalent than other cancers, they tend to be under-funded and under-studied and that is really no excuse. The Team Sarcoma Initiative is helping fill a big need in raising money to study sarcomas and hopefully eliminate them once and for all.
An Interview with Karen, Todd’s wife
Q: How would you describe Todd (in a few sentences)?
Karen: When I first met Todd 11 years ago while we were in college, I was attracted to him because he’s confident, smart and funny (not to mention handsome, of course). I truly think those same qualities are helping him now. He’s confident enough (and stubborn enough!) to believe he can overcome anything cancer throws at him, smart enough to understand the statistics mean nothing at this point, and funny enough to get both of us through the really tough parts. I think he’s uncomfortable when people describe him as “inspirational” — since he thinks he acts like anyone would in the same situation — but the way he has maintained such normalcy, kept his sense of humor, and overcome so many medical obstacles while fighting osteosarcoma inspires me and so many other people every day.
Q: What do you think participating in the Team Sarcoma bike tour means to Todd?
Karen: It is an enormous honor — it’s all he’s been talking about! Obviously, he’s excited about bringing awareness to sarcoma, meeting other patients/supporters, and hopefully raising some money to aid the cause. But beyond that, this is a goal Todd set for himself and I think it will mean the world to him when he achieves it.
Before cancer, Todd loved playing sports and exercising, but cancer has taken much of that away from him. Between the allograph in his left arm, countless rounds of chemo, three lung surgeries, radiation, and a near-fatal heart failure episode, Todd has largely been forced to watch from the sidelines these past few years. The lowest point was in January 2008, when a massive pulmonary embolism left him dependent on an oxygen tank at the age of 30. Doctors told us that due to the scarring and limited function of his lungs, he might require oxygen permanently. But Todd didn’t accept this and to everyone’s surprise, 10 months later, the oxygen tank was removed from our home. The bike tour gives Todd something to work towards physically and mentally, and participating in this event after dealing with so many setbacks will be a real source of pride for him.
Q: What do you hope the bike tour experience will be?
Karen: Both Todd’s dad (an avid biker) and I (a non-biker) are going to join Todd for the bike tour. I’m sure Todd’s dad is excited about the opportunity to be touring with Todd again, since the two of them used to do bike tours across Wisconsin many years ago. Plus, since they live 200 miles away, Todd and his dad don’t get to spend as much time together as they’d like. As for me, I’m excited to be there to support Todd, and seeing him achieve this goal is going to be very emotional. To see Todd participating in a bike tour after all he’s been through is really a miracle. This is just another example of how anything is possible. I’m so proud of him already! This is going to be an incredibly memorable experience for all three of us.
Q: You have been Todd’s partner and caregiver throughout a five-year ordeal. Is there anything you would like to share with other spouses and caregivers who are facing what you’ve faced?
Karen: When your loved one is diagnosed with cancer, everything changes in an instant. One day, you’re living a normal life and then suddenly, you are thrown into a new world of chronic illness and uncertainty. From then on, your life revolves around cancer — monitoring symptoms, dealing with side effects, living in the hospital at times, waiting nervously for scan results — and you lose any sense of control you once thought you had over your future. You have to learn to “live one day at a time,” but that’s a lot easier said than done. Chronic stress becomes a way of life, and you will grieve over your lost sense of normalcy.
For me, the hardest part has been the unrelenting fear of losing Todd. Oddly, this fear usually hits me in between crises, when things probably appear “fine” to others. A couple years ago, I was struggling emotionally in such an unhealthy way that I had to seek help. And I am so glad I did! I hope other spouses/caregivers recognize that it’s okay to admit when they need help and will seek it out. It’s important to take care of your own emotional and physical well-being not only so you can continue to care for the patient, but also so you can make the most out of whatever time you have together.
Although this is a tough road, it hasn’t been all bad. Todd and I are more in love than ever. We have been surprised and humbled by the kindness and support we have received, not only from family and close friends, but coworkers and strangers too. We have drawn immeasurable strength from the notes people have left on our CaringBridge website during both good times and bad. I have found both medical information and friendship through an online support group devoted to osteosarcoma. Most importantly, we have learned to appreciate life in a unique way and to be grateful for every single day we get to spend together. My hope for other spouses/caregivers is that they can find their silver linings as well.
http://awards.team-sarcoma.net/
On April 28, 2009, the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative announced the two recipients of the Moments in Sarcoma awards. Todd Andrews, an osteosarcoma survivor from Minneapolis, MN, received a sponsorship to participate in the “core” Team Sarcoma Initiative bike tour. While some of Todd and Karen’s thoughts were presented in the press release, we thought visitors might enjoy reading more of what they had to say about their lives and the Moments in Sarcoma award.
An Interview with Todd:
Q: How did you choose what to write about for the Moments in Sarcoma project?
Todd: Having battled this disease for five years now, there were plenty of moments I could have written about. A lot of very meaningful or moving moments, but when I thought back to right after I was diagnosed, other than the actual bad news, this was the moment that stood out. “Here Comes the Sun” has been a theme song and an inspiration in my continued fight and something I hadn’t told a lot of people about, so this seemed like a great way to really express how big of a moment it was to me. In fact, what I wasn’t able to tell in the story (given the word count constraint) is that after I left the clinic that day, the song came on again in the car on my way home and then later the next day. And it’s not as if this is a song that’s played a lot, so while it definitely seemed like the sign I was looking for at the time, “someone” made sure the message was reinforced a couple more times, just in case I missed it the first time.
Q: You were told that you probably wouldn’t live 5 years when you were 26 years old. Most of us can’t imagine…what was that like?
Todd: Well, I wasn’t actually told that until it metastasized to my lungs in 2005. Originally, the doctor told me that in 65 to 70% of cases, osteosarcoma is curable if caught early enough. At the time they were hopeful mine was. When we asked what happened to the other 30-some percent, the doctor was honest with us and told us, “they die.” But I just always lumped myself into the “curable” group from the beginning and told myself and my family that I would beat it. And I believed it. I still do. So even when it came back in my lungs and the doctor gave me those horrible odds of survival, I was certainly scared but I wasn’t about to call it quits. The numbers by themselves can be scary, but like one of the doctors told me, I’m one person, not a percentage of a person so those numbers don’t mean much to me specifically. I figure given the incredibly slim odds of even getting this cancer in the first place (nothing about my osteosarcoma has ever been considered “typical”) I’ve already kind of “won the cancer lottery,” so why can’t I overcome the odds and keep on living? Possibly until they find a cure. I guess that’s always been my attitude.
Q: What has helped you beat the odds?
Todd: I think aside from keeping a positive attitude, the support group I have around me in my wife and family and friends has been a huge source of strength to me. They keep me going. Even with cancer, I love my life and it’s because I get to spend it surrounded by incredibly wonderful and amazing people.
Q: What are your hopes for the Team Sarcoma bike tour experience?
Todd: When I was a kid, I used to participate in bike tours with my dad and brother. But that was almost 20 years ago, so this is a terrific opportunity to do another one and get a chance to relive a little bit of my childhood. Aside from that, I’m also really interested to meet the other people on the tour because we already have a passion for curing sarcomas in common and I’m excited to find out what else we might have in common. It should be a blast!
Q: Who will come with you, and how have are they significant in your life?
Todd: My wife and dad will be joining me. Obviously they are both incredibly important to me. Karen, my wife, has been by my side throughout my entire battle and provides me with more love and support than anyone - she’s absolutely amazing. My dad lives a few hours away, so I don’t see him as much as I might like, but like I said, we both have such fond memories of our past bike tours when I told him about this one his immediate response was “Where is it? I’ll be there.” This bike tour can’t help but make some great memories for all of us. I can’t wait.
Q: Is it important to work to increase sarcoma research funding? If so, why?
Todd: Absolutely. There are no “insignificant” cancers - they all need to be researched and studied. But I think because sarcomas are less prevalent than other cancers, they tend to be under-funded and under-studied and that is really no excuse. The Team Sarcoma Initiative is helping fill a big need in raising money to study sarcomas and hopefully eliminate them once and for all.
An Interview with Karen, Todd’s wife
Q: How would you describe Todd (in a few sentences)?
Karen: When I first met Todd 11 years ago while we were in college, I was attracted to him because he’s confident, smart and funny (not to mention handsome, of course). I truly think those same qualities are helping him now. He’s confident enough (and stubborn enough!) to believe he can overcome anything cancer throws at him, smart enough to understand the statistics mean nothing at this point, and funny enough to get both of us through the really tough parts. I think he’s uncomfortable when people describe him as “inspirational” — since he thinks he acts like anyone would in the same situation — but the way he has maintained such normalcy, kept his sense of humor, and overcome so many medical obstacles while fighting osteosarcoma inspires me and so many other people every day.
Q: What do you think participating in the Team Sarcoma bike tour means to Todd?
Karen: It is an enormous honor — it’s all he’s been talking about! Obviously, he’s excited about bringing awareness to sarcoma, meeting other patients/supporters, and hopefully raising some money to aid the cause. But beyond that, this is a goal Todd set for himself and I think it will mean the world to him when he achieves it.
Before cancer, Todd loved playing sports and exercising, but cancer has taken much of that away from him. Between the allograph in his left arm, countless rounds of chemo, three lung surgeries, radiation, and a near-fatal heart failure episode, Todd has largely been forced to watch from the sidelines these past few years. The lowest point was in January 2008, when a massive pulmonary embolism left him dependent on an oxygen tank at the age of 30. Doctors told us that due to the scarring and limited function of his lungs, he might require oxygen permanently. But Todd didn’t accept this and to everyone’s surprise, 10 months later, the oxygen tank was removed from our home. The bike tour gives Todd something to work towards physically and mentally, and participating in this event after dealing with so many setbacks will be a real source of pride for him.
Q: What do you hope the bike tour experience will be?
Karen: Both Todd’s dad (an avid biker) and I (a non-biker) are going to join Todd for the bike tour. I’m sure Todd’s dad is excited about the opportunity to be touring with Todd again, since the two of them used to do bike tours across Wisconsin many years ago. Plus, since they live 200 miles away, Todd and his dad don’t get to spend as much time together as they’d like. As for me, I’m excited to be there to support Todd, and seeing him achieve this goal is going to be very emotional. To see Todd participating in a bike tour after all he’s been through is really a miracle. This is just another example of how anything is possible. I’m so proud of him already! This is going to be an incredibly memorable experience for all three of us.
Q: You have been Todd’s partner and caregiver throughout a five-year ordeal. Is there anything you would like to share with other spouses and caregivers who are facing what you’ve faced?
Karen: When your loved one is diagnosed with cancer, everything changes in an instant. One day, you’re living a normal life and then suddenly, you are thrown into a new world of chronic illness and uncertainty. From then on, your life revolves around cancer — monitoring symptoms, dealing with side effects, living in the hospital at times, waiting nervously for scan results — and you lose any sense of control you once thought you had over your future. You have to learn to “live one day at a time,” but that’s a lot easier said than done. Chronic stress becomes a way of life, and you will grieve over your lost sense of normalcy.
For me, the hardest part has been the unrelenting fear of losing Todd. Oddly, this fear usually hits me in between crises, when things probably appear “fine” to others. A couple years ago, I was struggling emotionally in such an unhealthy way that I had to seek help. And I am so glad I did! I hope other spouses/caregivers recognize that it’s okay to admit when they need help and will seek it out. It’s important to take care of your own emotional and physical well-being not only so you can continue to care for the patient, but also so you can make the most out of whatever time you have together.
Although this is a tough road, it hasn’t been all bad. Todd and I are more in love than ever. We have been surprised and humbled by the kindness and support we have received, not only from family and close friends, but coworkers and strangers too. We have drawn immeasurable strength from the notes people have left on our CaringBridge website during both good times and bad. I have found both medical information and friendship through an online support group devoted to osteosarcoma. Most importantly, we have learned to appreciate life in a unique way and to be grateful for every single day we get to spend together. My hope for other spouses/caregivers is that they can find their silver linings as well.
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