To the Editor:
I had been wanting to write about my personal interactions with my patients battling for their lives with cancer. Today, seeing my friend, Mark Lucas, handling the act of dying so magnificently teaches me the very essence of the life we all seem to be missing.
With the hustle and bustle of day to day existence, we pretend that we are going to live forever. And the guy/gal next door is the one with the problems.
Mark always told me that in confronting this enemy called cancer, you would rather go down fighting than kneeling down. Cancer takes away many things, but not the grit, grace and valor that Mark epitomizes.
I remember when I first met Mark, I was a little worried about his tattoos and mannerisms and whether we would get along. The outside façade was of toughness, but truly inside was a loveable soul with tremendous energy. And ambition to live and fight despite the outcome.
I have had the opportunity to learn that in life, much is to be gained in giving of yourself, for nothing accompanies you except your deeds when you meet your maker.
For Mark and all the other brave knights fighting this battle of cancer, I salute you all and I promise you that I will strive to tell your tale as long as I breathe. As my good friend George always said, “Life is not measured by how many breaths you take, but how much life you put in each breath.”
DR. IYENGAR