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When Elmhurst Relay for Life volunteers gather Tuesday for the Kick-Off Event, speaker Herb Porter wants to remind them how important their work is for cancer survivors like him.
Porter, a Hanover Park resident, was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 47 in 1999, and then again in 2007.
Prior to the diagnosis, he was “one of those guys who hardly ever had to go to the doctor for anything.”
Having never been previously hospitalized, cancer came as a shock.
“It was pretty terrifying,” he said. “I had three children, all of them in school — high school and elementary school. With school-age children and a wife it was pretty terrifying to hear that. My experience at that time was everyone I knew that had gotten cancer, had died. When you look at it from that perspective it was pretty scary.”
He credits his faith, and medical providers for his current clean bill of health.
“First and foremost I had a very strong faith in God,” he said. “What that does is it keeps the fear from crippling you. You believe in something bigger than yourself. Secondly, I had some very good doctors.”
After his recovery, he auditioned for the American Cancer Society’s “You Were There” commercials, and got the part. He’s been speaking regularly at Relay for Life Events ever since.
“I want to get them motivated for the task at hand,” he said. “They put in a lot of hours to organize these events. I like to let them know that there are people out there that appreciate the work they do. I’m the reminder that there is critical research that they’re supporting.”
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Elmhurst Kick-off is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fitz’s Spare Keys, 119 N. York St.
Teams can register at the event. The public is invited and prospective volunteers can learn more about ways to get involved.
For more information on the kick-off celebration, contact the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345 or visit www.RelayForLife.org/ElmhurstIL.
When Elmhurst Relay for Life volunteers gather Tuesday for the Kick-Off Event, speaker Herb Porter wants to remind them how important their work is for cancer survivors like him.
Porter, a Hanover Park resident, was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 47 in 1999, and then again in 2007.
Prior to the diagnosis, he was “one of those guys who hardly ever had to go to the doctor for anything.”
Having never been previously hospitalized, cancer came as a shock.
“It was pretty terrifying,” he said. “I had three children, all of them in school — high school and elementary school. With school-age children and a wife it was pretty terrifying to hear that. My experience at that time was everyone I knew that had gotten cancer, had died. When you look at it from that perspective it was pretty scary.”
He credits his faith, and medical providers for his current clean bill of health.
“First and foremost I had a very strong faith in God,” he said. “What that does is it keeps the fear from crippling you. You believe in something bigger than yourself. Secondly, I had some very good doctors.”
After his recovery, he auditioned for the American Cancer Society’s “You Were There” commercials, and got the part. He’s been speaking regularly at Relay for Life Events ever since.
“I want to get them motivated for the task at hand,” he said. “They put in a lot of hours to organize these events. I like to let them know that there are people out there that appreciate the work they do. I’m the reminder that there is critical research that they’re supporting.”
The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Elmhurst Kick-off is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fitz’s Spare Keys, 119 N. York St.
Teams can register at the event. The public is invited and prospective volunteers can learn more about ways to get involved.
For more information on the kick-off celebration, contact the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345 or visit www.RelayForLife.org/ElmhurstIL.
