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My Story
In 2016, I found a lump on a testicle when I was doing an intentional self-examination and not just sitting on the couch watching TV like Al Bundy. I was fortunate to live close to Johns Hopkins where I became a patient. Within a few weeks, I was in surgery. Several weeks later, the chemo started. And it worked!
Every April (Testicular Cancer Awareness Month), I would share a glimpse of my experience from the 2016 including diagnosis, surgery, chemo, recovery, etc. as a way to raise awareness and to encourage all of you to do regular self-exams (of your balls and boobs, respectively.) until 2021. Instead of raising awareness and celebrating what should have been my 5-year Cancerversary (a big one!); I shared for the second time in my 30s, I had cancer. In September 2020, I felt two hardened masses during a self-exam. This new cancer wasn't much different, even if a bit more aggressive, but this time I chose a treatment plan that included a couple surgeries (and a few other unexpected procedures) as opposed to the chemo-heavy plan from before.
Like many, I ate and drank my way through March, April and May 2020, but in June I decided to start running again after about a decade hiatus and I ran all summer. Having already spent the summer running, I had an outlet to help me cope with my diagnosis (even running my first 13.1 for the Baltimore Half!) and running helped me to recover from my first surgery. Running continued to help me recover from a second surgery that was far more invasive in January 2021. So, as I was alone (thanks, Covid) in a Sloan Kettering hospital room for 10 days in some of the absolutely hardest and worst days of my life, I decided that I was not only going to get better, but that I was going to run the 2021 NYC Marathon.
I told two of my closest friends, Steve Chuk and Brian Case, who had been doubling as my therapy team since my diagnosis, my new goal and Steve immediately responded, “if you run a marathon I will.” Brian quickly agreed. And Burke’s Team was formed and I ran my first New York City Marathon. The founding team- Brian, Steve, Chris Battista and I proudly ran the 2021 NYC Marathon with Fred's Team - MSKCC, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center race team fittingly named after a founder of the TCS New York City Marathon who created the race after his cancer diagnosis. Sloan took such great care of me and I was able to see the superior level of care they offer to everyone. As part of Fred’s Team that year, Burke’s Team raised over $30,000 and collected 4 finisher medals.
I remember thinking, after I completed my first half-marathon, “I’m good. I never need to do that again.” Well, after completing my first NYC Marathon, I was hooked. Adding to the joy of crushing that race with 3 of my closest friends, in front of my whole family, on a gorgeous day in NYC, we got some pretty good press:
So, we ran it back. In 2022, 8 new people joined me and we raised over $40,000. Now, we’ve collected 13 finisher medals and raised over $70,000. And, hopefully, we have inspired people to take care of their bodies with healthy lifestyles that include double-checks: checking for abnormalities and getting them checked out by a doctor if you have one.
Going into Year 3 of Burke’s Team, we’re excited about Burke’s Team and the future. And we’re excited to welcome our biggest team yet with which we expect to take 10 finisher medals and crack $100,000 raised for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center – 100% of which goes to research.