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Scott Hamilton
I've only fallen on the ice. Estimated 41,600 times. Yeah, yeah.
Jim Mann
And ice is hard.
Scott Hamilton
Well, it is hard, but, you know, it's like. But when you get up 41,600 times.
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
The next fall has very little meaning, you know, And I think that's kind of the metaphor for all of this. You know, you're going to get knocked down. It's you just going to get up. You're just good at it. Well, I mean, it's like you're going to, like, for everybody listening, it's like you're going to, you're going to get knocked down, you're going to fall down. You're going to have some sort of, like, knocked off your feet at some point in your life. It's just gonna happen. I'm not projecting or wishing that on anybody, but it's just life. Right, Right. It's how you get up. It's how you get up.
Podcast Announcer
You're listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization, the number one network of holistic cancer support groups in the world. Each week we bring you stories of hope, real stories that will encourage you as you navigate your way on your own journey to health. Now, here's your host, stage four cancer thriver, Jim Mann.
Jim Mann
Before we continue on with part two of Scott Hamilton's episode, I'd like to take a moment and recognize the partner of Healing Strong. RGCC is globally recognized as the leading laboratory in the field of personalized cancer testing. RGCC partners with patients and practitioners throughout the cancer journey with powerful testing tools that provide actionable information allowing for the creation of personalized treatment protocols. To learn more, head to myrgcc.com healing-strong Tell us more about the CARES Foundation. Now that you.
Scott Hamilton
Yeah, we started off, it was sort of as a thank you to the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer center for getting me through it. And I, and I learned so much in that. My oncologist is on the board of the foundation and he was the guy that helped me get it started in the first place as an initiative at the Cleveland Clinic Tausig Cancer Cancer center as part of their patient services program. I really wanted to give back. And they're like, well, example, we're doing the press conference, it was January 2000. And they, I, I looked at my urologist, Dr. Eric Klein, and I said, what do you think of Fourth Angel? And he goes, sounds interesting. What is it? And I go, well, it's your first angels, your oncologist, your Second year angels, your oncology nurse, you can feel free to switch those anytime you want. But your third angel is your friends and family. What's missing in your cancer journey is your fourth angel. And the fourth angel is somebody who's been there, done that. They can mentor you and work as sort of a role model. Like, they've got through it and they're on the other side now. They have knowledge that I desperately need. So we created a mentorship program that exists to this day. I survived, I guess it was 97, so I'd be 27 years ago.
Jim Mann
Wow.
Scott Hamilton
And they're pairing 100 people a month. Patients, caregivers, and pediatric caregivers. And so those, those people have unique knowledge and understanding and experience. Right. That. That can be shared with the next person going through it. And so fourth angel is again doing 100 pairs a month. Matches a month. And then the other part of it was I did what all patients do. I went on Dr. Google.
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
And back then, the Internet was relatively new. Right. But I went on, I did a sear. What do I need to know about testicular cancer? And all I found was a medical journal paper that had 12 syllable words in it. And I thought, I'm too dumb to be sick. I mean, so is everyone, right? Unless you're like third year medical school or whatever, you're. You don't understand what you're going through. Right. So I figured there was another opportunity. So for five years, I was the organ grinders monkey to raise enough money to build chemo care dot com. And what's wild is I just gave a speech locally to some oncology nurses at a, you know, a meeting they had here. And I, and I told them about chemocare.com and they looked at me, I go, how many of you have heard of chemocare.com? every single hand. Wow. It was powerful. They go, this has been a spectacular resource to give our patients what they need to know in 8th grade English and Spanish and with Google Translate. Any language in the world.
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
Because that, that information didn't exist before. Here's. Here's how it's administered in language you can understand here. Every single drug, every single drug combination. Here's. Here's what they're designed to do. Here's how they work here. And, and here are the side effects associated with those drugs. And here's how to manage them so you're not flying blind anymore. It's not like every single day for me was a step in the dark. And I just thought that was A huge issue in cancer. So we solved that problem with chemocare.com and then after that, I go, well, now we need to focus on, like, let's cure people, you know, and so we, you know, that was at the Cleveland clinic. We did 15 years, and then I did three more years of fundraising for them. And. And then they said, basically, go be an independent foundation. And so when we started this, we were the Cleveland. We were the CARES initiative at the Cleveland Clinic Tausa Cancer center, and then we launched as the CARES foundation. So we're an independent foundation now because we can do more things as an independent foundation than we can as part of a healthcare organization. And so we. We sat down and said, what's our strategy? And I said, well, I think we need to fund the future of cancer treatment. And that is treat the cancer, spare the patient harm. And so that's a good angle. What is that? Yeah, it's a great angle. It's like, how do you do that? And I go, I've been so many different cancer centers, and the promise of immunotherapy is real, and we need to get behind that. And at that point, there wasn't an immunotherapy drug on the market. It was just this concept that this is our bodies created the cancer. It's not naive to think that our bodies can't recognize and destroy it. Because right now, as we're talking and as people are listening, our bodies are finding dead, broken, or mutant cells and saying, out, out, out. But the cancer cell tricks the body into, you know, I need more food here. I take my waste here. Yeah, we'll do everything. We're going to do everything to accommodate you. But it's destroying the host. So how do we teach our bodies to recognize, well, wait a minute. You don't belong here. Out. You know, and immunotherapy is, to me, is the best way to do that. It's T cell therapy. It's, you know, there's a lot of different, you know, ways of approaching all of this. And. And it really is. It's just authentically and legitimately and genuinely allowing your body to understand how to treat the cancer and spare the rest of your body harm.
Jim Mann
Yeah, I mean, it worked for me.
Scott Hamilton
There you go.
Jim Mann
Two months. It killed every in me. And of course, there's. Obviously, there's a long way to go because, you know, with some people, it'll. After it finds the cancer does that, it looks for other things, which is not supposed to, like, whoa, okay, let's go. After the Organs, which is, you know, they keep checking that, but, you know, fortunately mine decided, guess what?
Scott Hamilton
We're both playing with house money now.
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
You know, it's like. It's all gravy. It's all like, today is just a day I never would have been able to experience without those two guys in Indiana as research scientists that just say, what if we do it this way?
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
And it worked. You know, 27 years of survivorship. And they told me, because of chemo, you know, 20 years, you know, lung effects, probably things will start to maybe not work so good. Yeah. But I'm. I mean, I. I'm, like, stronger than I've ever been, you know, physically, you know, maybe not in the legs, but I have pecs for the first time in my life. I've never had them before. And it's because I. I asked my body to do something.
Jim Mann
I noticed that when I came and it responded.
Scott Hamilton
There you go. Yeah. I'm, like, physically intimidating now. Right. But it's that. It's like we ask our bodies to do things, and our bodies will respond. Like, when I start training for a competition in May, it looks way different than it does in January when the competitions happen. It takes time to build and to grow and to ignite quality and all those. And physical conditioning, it just takes time. And if we just roll up our tent, don't do a thing, just say, ah, I'm not really feeling it today. Then you're really allowing your body to diminish, you know, on that day and not just get stronger. And so when that. When I got the third brain tumor diagnosis, they're giving me a surgical and a medical option, and everything in my spirit said, get strong. And so I. They said, what do you want to do? I go, I'm going to go home and I'm going to get strong. And they go, what does that look like? And I go, I have no idea. But that's all my body would let me do. It's all my mind, that's all my heart, heart. That's all my spirit would let me do is just. No, go home and get strong. Just get strong. And so I got strong physically, I got strong emotionally. I got stronger intellectually, and I got stronger spiritually. And each day I spend on the Word, I just find something that just. Wow. That's something remarkable that everybody needs to know, you know, why didn't I know that? I've been following the Lord for, you know, since the last 20 something years. And it's like, I didn't See that before, because the word is alive. And the word is. You know, it. It touches us, but we need to spend time in the word. But it touches us in a way, or it inspires us in a way, unexpectedly. I've read that passage 15 times. Why is it hitting me different today? And it's all that, right? So, you know, we've been given so much, you know, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. We just got to tap into that in order to live our best lives.
Jim Mann
Right. And you have, obviously, such a huge platform being known around the world. I just mentioned your name to somebody who wasn't even alive when you were in the Olympics.
Scott Hamilton
No. Wow.
Jim Mann
And they go, oh, is that the guy with the backflip?
Scott Hamilton
No. Thank goodness for YouTube. Right?
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
So it. But it's that. It's like, you know, why? And this is something, you know, I meet a lot of really cool people, and I've. I've gotten a nice friend. You know, like, hockey fights cancer. Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL. I would. I've spent a lot of time with him on and off. And he just. We were having lunch one time, and he always likes to interview people he's sitting with because he was an old radio guy that, you know. And he goes, can I ask you a question? And I go, sure. And he goes, there's been a lot of people that won Olympics. And I go, yeah. I mean, every Olympics, there's a lot of people win the Olympics. And he goes, but you, like, now. It's 40 years ago. Why? How have you, like, maintained familiarity? A lot of. A lot of people won the Olympics, and nobody. Nobody couldn't pick them out of the lineup. You know? Why you. And I just. I didn't know what to say. I just. And the only thing I could think of, I go, people are kind to me. I go, people like. You know, they like me. And he goes, wow, that's a superpower. Likability. And I go, well, I mean, it's not like something I try to dredge up, you know, sincerity is not something you dredged up. But it's like, I try to be kind. I try to be considerate, thoughtful, you know?
Jim Mann
Well, I would. I would say, as an observer that, you know, you always play to the crowd. You were like your personality just shot out of the crowd, rather than you're just there performing.
Scott Hamilton
I mean, they did pay to get in. The least I could do is honor that.
Jim Mann
Exactly. But not everybody does that.
Scott Hamilton
Oh, it's fun. It's really fun. To enter.
Jim Mann
You enjoyed yourself?
Scott Hamilton
Oh, I had a blast. It was so fun just to try to figure out new ways of igniting an audience. And it's funny. I have this I win story. When I first turned pro, it's like the president of Ice Capade signed me kind of holding his nose. We were really great friends, and we built a really. A huge level of respect for each other. But anyway, at the time, he's like, you know, you just. You're just going to party. You think the work's done and just going to miss shows. We're going to have three fun tickets. It's a nightmare. We had to sign you. And it's like, no, no, no. I'll be the best employee you ever had. So I'd look out at the crowd, and I'd see these men sitting in the front row, and they would be, like, looking around, kind of like, oh, man, I hope nobody sees me here. Or they'd be checking their watch. Is like, oh, man, when's this going to end? You know, I just want to go home. And I realized, I go, these men are so underserved. If I could get that guy on his feet, I could skate forever. And so it was like, okay, that's my. Every time I come up with a new routine or I come up with a new idea, it's to get that guy on his feet. So it was funny, the other day, I was at this event for cares, and this guy came up and he goes, hey. He goes, you still do a backflip? And I was like, oh, no, it's only in my head. And I go, I gotta tell you something. This is what happens to me every time I go. I fly out of town. Fly southwest usually, and I meet a lot of people, and a guy will come up and they go, yeah, skater guy. I go, yes, sir. And he goes, I don't. I don't watch skating. I, I. I'm a football. Kind of big football fan. And, you know, I like baseball, too. And I go, yeah, me too. I like all the sports. And he goes, hey, can I get my wife? Because she's like, I know she'd love to meet you. And I go, absolutely. So he always gets his wife, and she comes back, and he goes, hey, look who's here. And she looks at me and she has absolutely no idea who I am. And it's like, I win. I got that guy. I got that guy to like skating. I got that guy to like skating. And so it's like, it's like that. It's like, how do we. How do we invite everybody to the party? And it's by being intentional and it's by looking them, engaging the audience, and trying to predict, you know, what they've never seen before that would be really fun for them and to try to create that. And. And so it gave me a 20 year professional career.
Jim Mann
Wow.
Scott Hamilton
From first steps to Olympic gold was 16.
Jim Mann
Wow.
Scott Hamilton
And then 20 years of, you know, ice shows and competitions and broadcasting, and it's just been extraordinary.
Jim Mann
Yeah, I would. I mean, I would watch figure skating and I'd be nervous all the time. I just get all intense, like, they're gonna fall. Until you came on. I'm like, there's just a guy having fun. If he fell, he'll just roll with it. Which you did. Yeah, I relaxed when you skated.
Scott Hamilton
Yeah.
Jim Mann
So there you go. I stood up.
Scott Hamilton
Well, I mean, I've only fallen on the ice. Estimated 41,600 times.
Jim Mann
Yeah.
Scott Hamilton
Yeah.
Jim Mann
And ice is hard.
Scott Hamilton
Well, it is hard, but, you know, it's like. But when you get up 41,600 times, the next fall has very little meaning, you know, And I think that's kind of the metaphor for all of this. You know, you're going to get knocked down. It's. You're just going to get up. You're just good at it. It's. Well, I mean, it's like you're going to, like, for everybody listening, it's like you're going to. You're going to get knocked down, you're going to fall down, you're going to have some sort of, like, knocked off your feet at some point in your life. It's just going to happen. I'm not. I'm not projecting or wishing that on anybody, but it's just life, Right?
Jim Mann
Right.
Scott Hamilton
It's how you get up. It's how you get up.
Jim Mann
Well, that was what I was going to ask you to talk about right now as we close this puppy out, because, you know, there are people listening that they're listening because they just got a diagnosis and they're scared to death. Life is over in their minds. And. And some of them have doctors who are just like, sorry, but you guys, six months. So, you know, that messes with your mom.
Scott Hamilton
Why is it always six months? It's always six months every time. It's because it's a best guess. It's like, you know, you don't know. We don't know.
Jim Mann
So what would you say to encourage them right now?
Scott Hamilton
I'd say, do your homework. I don't believe in second opinions. I believe in seventh opinions. And it goes back to Murphy's Law. You know, where you stand depends on where you sit, you know. Yeah, it's the old Reagan trust but verify. And it's really getting a knowledge of your condition that where you can make the best possible choice for, you know, and give yourself the best chance of surviving. And sometimes it may not be what you want to do. Other times it's like, well, here's an opportunity to try something else, you know, so there's, you know, it's, it's. I said it to an oncologist one time and I thought I offended him. He goes, no, that's so smart, because cancer is changing every day. So if you're sitting across from the desk from a surgeon, you're probably going to get cut. If you're sitting across the desk from a hemonc, you're probably going to get chemo. If you're sitting across the desk for radiation oncologist, probably going to get radiated. But it's understanding what is the best choice for you to give you your life back and then the best quality of your life post cancer, because that's where you got to think. You got to think, okay, once I'm through this, what's my life going to look like? And I've got great, beautiful, gorgeous scars. Like, they're stunning and they're beautiful and they're badges of honor because it says, look how resilient the Lord has made us. And that's the whole idea, is just understand your condition and then make, make choices based on that, on, on everything you've learned. You know, if you're just going to say, I'm not doing that, I'm not doing that. I'm just not going to do that. And it's like, I spend so much of my life now trying to get rid of chemotherapy, and I'm here because of it. I'm not a hypocrite. I just know there's a better way. So I got to keep working towards it, right? And that's the same with everybody out there. It's like, what's state of the art? What, where, what, what you know, and, and, you know, Dr. Toby Cosgrove told me something when at the aneurysm issue in 2010, he said, he goes, there's really good doctors out there that do miraculous things. And then there are six a day guys. All you really want is a six a day guy. Find out who the best guy is to treat you and Then listen to that person and respond in a way that's not about, more or less denial. It's about here's your best chance of living your best and longest life and whatever that is. And again, it could be anything. It could be vitamins. It could be high pH, water. It could be eliminating sugar from your diet or going keto. It could be a lot of things. Or it could just be that maybe going through chemotherapy for three months or trying this new immunotherapy, you know, medication might. Or the course of treatment. Or maybe it is just purely a lumpectomy, a surgery, just get it out, you know, or maybe it's this new type of thing that we're doing, you know, endoscopically. Or maybe it's, you know, but you don't know until you spend the time to find out, right? And all that information exists. You just have to. You have to spend some time to get growing. All the time growing all the time and almost oppressively. Right? But, you know, there are centers of excellence out there for each individual form of cancer. And some are unexpected. Really, really there. Yeah, there. And, you know, there are places that, you know, really are. Their, Their. Their whole mission is to just change the way we're treated for cancer forever and for the better. A lot of great cancer centers out there. And, And. But I do think that, you know, we just have to listen to our hearts and our spirit and we have to educate ourselves. You know, it's physical, emotional, actual, spiritual. It's got to approach everything with those four qualities. And if you do, that's the best chance you have of living a long and. And quality life.
Jim Mann
Like you said, just get stronger in every area because, you know, for some reason, your body allowed cancer to grow. Like you said. I mean, your body's supposed to take care of these things. But something was lacking somewhere which caused it to grow, which, you know, it could be total stress, you're eating garbage, or.
Scott Hamilton
Well, why is it that in this country, you know, we're eating foods that are illegal almost everywhere else? It's like, how's that even possible? And now who do I trust? You know, it's like, no, you can't have that chemical in that food. What makes it look pretty? Well, I don't care. It's just, you know, it's like, I got a pineapple for my wife this morning. I said, you better eat that today because it's not going to be pretty tomorrow. It's just like, okay, let's do the right thing. You know, drink lots of water and make sure it's good, clean, healthy water. I mean the most important thing I do in our home is to make sure. And my wife is very, very, very amazing. She's the one that really created this eco like center for our house is like we're only drinking filtered and treated water treated in a way like it can be high ph or it can be acidic or it can be just, you know, natural, but it's filtered. There's nothing in it that's going to be harmful to our bodies. It's pure water and, and it's like that's an investment I'll make no matter what, first and foremost because it's so important. It's so important what we put in our bodies and, and how we live our lives.
Jim Mann
So how do people get a hold of you? Obviously take it to the CARES.
Scott Hamilton
Yeah, CARES. ScottCares.org we're doing a lot of really, really cool things. We've in our, I guess it's coming up on 10 years since we started this foundation. But it is that it's, it's, you know, join us. You know, we're really trying to. The CARE stands for the cancer alliance for Research, Education and survivorship. We've handled the survivorship and the education in really cool ways. The research is what we're focused on now. But the a, the alliance is something that we just, I want to wear that letter out. And we work with other cancer foundations and we help them and they help us and we're a collaborative organization. Silos don't work in cancer. They, you know, for somebody to say, you can't see my work, I'm going to be, I'm. This is mine to do. And they're missing out on this collaborative thing. We did this, this study for metastatic melanoma and all these other researchers saw the promise of it and they, they wanted to come on board and be a part of this research. And now it's in clinical trial.
Jim Mann
Wow.
Scott Hamilton
The disease that killed my mom is now in clinical trial.
Jim Mann
It's huge.
Scott Hamilton
So it's huge. And it's, it's like, okay, I pray that they're on the right track and I pray that this research and this clinical trial goes the next phase and next phase and next phase and becomes standard of care. Wouldn't that be amazing? Yeah. And then there won't be some 18 year old boy out there burying his mom and missing out on when he needs her the most, you know. And so yeah. Come join us. ScottCares.org, we have a 1984 campaign as the year I won my goal, but $19.84 a month, and you can support us. And. And we're. We've done 88 partnerships since we started. Eight's my number. And, you know, and we're going to continue on, and we just really, truly feel like we can change the world for the better and forever.
Jim Mann
Yeah. Well, that sounds great, Scott. Thanks for doing this.
Scott Hamilton
Oh, my pleasure. Thank you.
Jim Mann
And I just love your office.
Scott Hamilton
Isn't it fun? I don't do any. Any. Any. Any kind of memorabilia at home ever. That's all here or it's in my office at the rink. I don't. I won't do that to my kids. You know, it's like, nah, yeah, that's right. I'm your dad. I'm not, you know, this other thing. Right. So we do a lot of stuff here, and it's fun to kind of relive these memories. And there's a lot of fun things in here that, you know, it's like my first international competitions over there. And then, you know, I carried the flame into Salt Lake City Olympics with Peggy Fleming. And then a gentleman who was a professor at Bowling Green State University grabbed a hunk of snow from the ice at the Zetra in Sarajevo and put it into a bottle. So I'd always have the water of the ice that I skated on. And there's just really cool things it reminds me of. Like, I don't really truly remember everything about that guy, but I think, you know, it was fun, and I was able to touch some lives. You know, just all the skaters that I got to tour with and compete against and compete with on the 40th anniversary. Brian Orser, the silver medalist, and Joe Sobobcik, the bronze medalist, we were all together in New York, really, on the night, because we couldn't wait to be back together.
Jim Mann
Who remembers them? We all remember you.
Scott Hamilton
No. Brian Orser's had three Olympic champions as a coach.
Jim Mann
Wow.
Scott Hamilton
Yeah, he's. He's legit, and he's just the best guy ever. And Joe Sababcik, again, he was. He was younger than us, and he was always following us around. And when we got to stand on the podium together in Sarajevo, it was something that, you know, we. We knew that we'd always, always be friends and we would always want to be together. And. And that night, I go, hey, you guys want to meet New York and celebrate together? And they go, yeah. And so Brian flew in from. From Asia, I think he, you know, I don't know, he had some weird flight thing where he was able to get in just in time. And we laughed for two days. It was so much fun. But that's life. That's what we've. That's what we want to do. We want to live our days, Live our days fully and, and enjoy.
Jim Mann
I think you're doing a good job trying.
Scott Hamilton
I'm, I'm. I'm still a work in progress in many respects and almost all respects.
Jim Mann
Yeah. Are we all, though?
Scott Hamilton
Yeah.
Jim Mann
Until we're gone.
Scott Hamilton
Until we're gone. But, you know, in my closet, I have a frame thing and it's just the nine fruits of the spirit. I figure if I can live in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control every single day, yeah, the rest of my days are going to be pretty good.
Jim Mann
You know, funny you said that because I was telling you earlier about my cousin who passed away that was diagnosed same time I was. I'm thinking, man, I'm still here. And I had a stage four. He had a stage less than one. But then the, the pastor went through the fruits of the spirit like that, and he goes, who does that describe? And it was my cousin to the T. He was like, every one of those things. I'm like, well, you know, he served his purpose here and he's. He's now in a better place. Apparently. I've been dragging my feet, so I need to get it together.
Scott Hamilton
But I mean, it just. It really does make a difference if you start to feel like that, that, that spirit of, I don't know, just negativity or antagonism or, you know, just frustration. It's like, oh, oh, I see you. Get out. Just get out. And it's not easy. Sometimes I keep catching myself. Like, the more I live in joy, the more I live in peace, the more I live in love. I just. I just feel sometimes I got a target on my back and I just gotta keep fighting them off.
Jim Mann
Yeah. Well, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much.
Scott Hamilton
My pleasure. Saving the edit, will you.
Jim Mann
Okay.
Podcast Announcer
You've been listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization. We hope you found encouragement in this episode as well as the confidence to take control of your healing journey, knowing that God will guide you on this path. Healing Strong is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, support and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases through strategies that help to rebuild the body, renew the soul, and refresh the spirit. It costs nothing to be a part of a local or online group. You can do that by going to our website@healingstrong.org and finding a group near you, or an online group, or start your own. Your choice. While you're there, take a look around at all the free resources. Though the resources and groups are free, we encourage you to join our membership program at $25 or $75 a month. This helps us to be able to reach more people with hope and encouragement, and that also comes with some extra perks as well. So check it out. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a five star rating. Leave an encouraging comment and help us spread the word. We'll see you next week with another story on the I Am Healing Strong podcast.
Podcast Summary: I AM HealingStrong - Episode 108: Overcoming Fear and Finding Purpose in Skating and Multiple Cancer Diagnoses pt2 | Scott Hamilton
Introduction
In Episode 108 of the I AM HealingStrong podcast, host Jim Mann engages in an inspiring and heartfelt conversation with Scott Hamilton, an Olympic gold medalist figure skater and a multiple cancer survivor. This episode delves deep into Scott's journey of overcoming fear, battling cancer, and finding renewed purpose through his passion for skating and philanthropic endeavors. Scott shares his personal experiences, the creation and impact of the CARES Foundation, and offers invaluable advice for listeners facing their own health battles.
Scott Hamilton's Perspective on Resilience and Overcoming Adversity
Scott Hamilton begins the conversation by drawing a powerful metaphor from his skating career. Reflecting on his experiences of falling on the ice approximately 41,600 times, he emphasizes the importance of resilience:
"But when you get up 41,600 times, the next fall has very little meaning... It’s like you’re going to get knocked down, you’re just going to get up. It’s how you get up."
— Scott Hamilton [00:05]
He relates this to the inevitable challenges everyone faces in life, highlighting that setbacks are part of the journey, but the true measure lies in how one rises after each fall.
Founding the CARES Foundation and Chemocare.com
Transitioning from personal resilience to proactive action, Scott discusses the inception of the CARES Foundation. Motivated by gratitude towards the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center for supporting him through his battle with cancer, Scott sought to give back to the community:
"We created a mentorship program that exists to this day. I survived, I guess it was '97, so I'd be 27 years ago."
— Scott Hamilton [02:58]
He elaborates on the mentorship program, Fourth Angel, which pairs cancer patients with survivors to provide guidance and support. Additionally, Scott addresses the lack of accessible medical information during his diagnosis, leading him to establish Chemocare.com:
"Chemocare.com... all that information exists. You just have to spend some time to get growing all the time and almost oppressively."
— Scott Hamilton [03:24]
Chemocare.com became a vital resource, translating complex medical jargon into understandable language, thus empowering patients to make informed decisions about their treatment.
Advocating for Innovative Cancer Treatments
Scott passionately discusses his advocacy for immunotherapy as a transformative approach to cancer treatment. He credits two research scientists from Indiana for their pioneering work, which not only saved his life but also contributed to advancements in cancer therapy:
*"Two months. It killed every in me. And of course, there's obviously a long way to go... Because I."</span> — Scott Hamilton [07:16]
He underscores the significance of immunotherapy in harnessing the body's natural defenses to target cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues. This breakthrough aligns with his mission at the CARES Foundation to fund and support cutting-edge cancer research.
Living with Cancer: Strengthening Body, Mind, and Spirit
When confronted with a third brain tumor diagnosis, Scott reveals his unwavering determination to "get strong" in every aspect of his being—physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually:
"I have no idea. But that's all my body would let me do. It's all my mind, that's all my heart, heart. That's all my spirit would let me do is just... get strong."
— Scott Hamilton [08:23]
His holistic approach to healing emphasizes the interconnectedness of body, mind, and spirit, advocating for a comprehensive strategy to combat illness and improve quality of life.
Building a Legacy: The CARES Foundation's Impact and Future
Scott provides an overview of the CARES Foundation's mission—Cancer Alliance for Research, Education, and Survivorship. Highlighting the foundation's collaborative efforts with other cancer organizations, he illustrates the collective endeavor to revolutionize cancer treatment:
"We're the CARES initiative... we're a collaborative organization. Silos don't work in cancer."
— Scott Hamilton [22:00]
He shares a notable success story where research conducted under the foundation's auspices progressed to clinical trials, demonstrating tangible progress in the fight against cancer.
Messages of Hope and Encouragement
As the conversation draws to a close, Jim Mann prompts Scott to offer words of encouragement to listeners grappling with cancer diagnoses. Scott's advice centers on proactive engagement in one's healthcare journey:
"Do your homework. I don't believe in second opinions. I believe in seventh opinions... understand your condition and then make choices based on that."
— Scott Hamilton [16:24]
He advocates for thorough research, seeking multiple expert opinions, and making informed decisions tailored to individual needs and circumstances. Scott emphasizes the importance of personal empowerment in navigating the complexities of cancer treatment.
Final Reflections: Embracing the Fruits of the Spirit
In a poignant closing exchange, Scott reflects on the nine fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control—as guiding principles in his daily life:
"In my closet, I have a frame thing and it's just the nine fruits of the spirit. I figure if I can live in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control every single day, yeah, the rest of my days are going to be pretty good."
— Scott Hamilton [26:25]
This philosophy underscores his commitment to personal growth and maintaining a positive, resilient mindset despite ongoing challenges.
Conclusion
Episode 108 of I AM HealingStrong offers a compelling narrative of resilience, innovation, and unwavering hope. Scott Hamilton's journey from Olympic glory to cancer survivor and philanthropist serves as a beacon of inspiration for listeners facing their own battles. Through his honest reflections and strategic initiatives like the CARES Foundation and Chemocare.com, Scott exemplifies how strength, knowledge, and community support can transform the most challenging chapters into stories of triumph and purpose.
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Final Thoughts
Scott Hamilton's narrative is a testament to the human spirit's capacity to overcome immense adversity through resilience, support systems, and a commitment to making a difference. His work with the CARES Foundation continues to pave the way for innovative cancer treatments and provides hope to countless individuals navigating their own healing journeys.