‘Life may be short; LIVE FAST!’

Roger VanHoozer of Savannah, Missouri, was diagnosed with cancer as a teenager. Forty-four years and two additional cancer diagnoses later, he says cancers impact is with him every day.

“I was first diagnosed at age sixteen with testicular cancer. I have since had two other separate diagnoses due to treatments I received from the first. Cancer has impacted every day of my life for the last 44 years. I tell a different story. I survived the days of doom and death when there was no such thing as chemotherapy, and MRIs and CAT Scans were sci-fi. Follow up care is non-existent for those of us who did survive.

“My first time out, there wasn't much choice. You took what was available and hoped for the best. My second diagnosis, Dick Bloch had just started his organization, and with that help I was able to find help and treatment for my diagnosis. My third diagnosis I was again tossed upon the mercy of the medical system, and care was poor to terrible.

“The emotional impact has affected me every day of my life for the last 44 years. I feel as if I have been an outsider my whole life because I was left without family of my own.”

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Roger’s six words to describe his cancer experience are “‘Life may be short; LIVE FAST!” Share your six words here.

Roger’s words, which were shared digitally through Tell KC, have been lightly edited for clarity.

As part of a local reporting project around the upcoming Ken Burns documentary series, Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, KCPT presents Cancer in KC.

We want to learn more about how cancer affects our community. How has cancer impacted your life? Share your story.