Mr McCrone, you have my respect!

On August 23rd, 2021, I wrote a Blog ... "The Big C"

While writing a Blog post is not earth-shattering news, in this particular instance I went to great lengths to introduce you to a friend of mine named Marty McCrone who, through a stroke of sheer courage, shared with all of those connected to him on social media the treatments, trials, and tribulations that resulted from being inflicted with squamous cell and prostate cancer. 

Yep, you read that right, Marty is a two-time beater of cancer.

As part of the therapy that helped him escape "Middle Earth", as he describes it so eloquently, Marty put pen to paper, first in preparation for presentations aimed to help others afflicted, and then to share thoughts with friends. His writing style, tremendous sense of humour, positive outlook and willingness to bare all resulted in a tsunami of positive, appreciative feedback from those who were privileged to read his work, prompting the eventual decision to tick off a Bucket List item by publishing what amounts to his memoirs. Marty's "Sweating the Small Stuff and Loving it" takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster from boisterous belly laughs to tear-streaked cheeks as he recounts how he personally dealt with the often horrific results cancer treatment brings. The book was created to continue Marty's quest to assist others as they navigate their own journey through Middle Earth, a quest that has truly been life long, dating back to well before that fateful day in January of 2000. 

As a coach, a teacher, a father, a spouse, and a GREAT friend, Marty has sought to help others for the entirety of his life. It really is no surprise that even after all of his treatment repercussions, some of which profoundly impacted his everyday life, Marty is primarily focused on how he can make the road through cancer less bumpy for others. His book is available on Amazon (link above), which in itself takes most of the hurdles out of the way since it will be delivered straight to your door. If you have your own stories, or have someone you love who has theirs, I wager that you'll find comfort in the words that Marty shares as he reacts to his journey in his typical McCrone way.

Long time friends will already be aware with how cancer has touched my own life. 

My father succumbed to his affliction after multiple secondaries made further treatment useless, and even after an autopsy, the primary site was never found, making the whole thing even more frustrating for me and my family. 

My brother Rob looks to be well on the road to recovery after enduring massive complications to his cancer treatments, something we all thank the powers that be for. He still has a long journey out of Marty's Middle Earth, but every day things look better.

Even now, I have one of my team mates from Queen's that is currently waging a valiant effort against a stage 4 glioblastoma while documenting the whole thing on social media. His hashtag of choice is #getbusyliving.

I have good friends and colleagues who have lost their lives in their prime as a result of cancer, the subject of some writings in the past. 

I'm losing friends and I'm sad 

The Big C 

Mindset: It's not a battle 

It seems like there isn't a week that goes by that doesn't bring news of someone's life being irrevocably altered at the hands of cancer. 

Getting back to Marty ...

I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I read it in less than 36 hours, partly because of its high interest, partly because of Marty's style, but mostly because it captivates you with a vice-like grip.

Trust me on this one!