Keep Going For the Gold
- Olympic legend Scott Hamilton, 63, is a husband, a father, an author, a TV broadcaster, and he’s also a 22-year cancer survivor.
- The figure skating hero recently took to Twitter to share a message of hope for people who have just been diagnosed with cancer, and his story serves as a reminder that cancer doesn’t always have to be the end of the world.
- Life may be a drag sometimes, but in most cases, there is always a silver lining, some more obvious than others, like in Hamilton’s case: Meeting his wife on the same day he was diagnosed with cancer, and essentially winning gold medals because of the effects from cancer.
“Today, 25 years ago in Peoria, I was told that I had a ‘mass’ in my abdomen. I share that for anyone out there that was just diagnosed with cancer.”
Read MoreToday, 25 years ago in Peoria, I was told that I had a "mass" in my abdomen. I share that for anyone out there that was just diagnosed with cancer. I'm still here. Hopefully that will give you hope in your journey. Also 22 years ago today, I met my wife. Happy "Best/Worst Day"
Scott Hamilton (@ScottHamilton84) March 16, 2022
Ohio-born Hamilton and his wife, nutritionist Tracie Robinson, 64, have been married for just over 20 years. They have four kids (two they adopted from Haiti!). The pair met in 1999 and got married two years later in Malibu, Calif.
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Scott Hamilton’s Cancer Battle
Hamilton was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1997, a brain tumor in 2004, and another brain tumor in 2016. He has now gone over five years without any chemotherapy to date, and recently opened up to SurvivorNet about his sometimes-difficult journey and how he keeps up a positive attitude.
"I choose to make the most of each day by enjoying the people and moments that I've been given and I encourage everyone to remember that we don't control the number of days we have on Earth, we only control what we do with them," Hamilton previously told SurvivorNet, though he admits it wasn’t easy at the time. The uncertainty that came with the disease was the worst part.
Related: Facing Uncertainty: Cancer Survivor Daniel Garza On The Value Of Sharing Your Story
"With chemo, I didn't know how sick I was going to be. I asked my doctor and he said, 'Moderate to severe.' And I go, 'What does moderate to severe mean?' He took a second and said, 'Moderate to severe,'" Hamilton said, laughing. "So, you're flying blind. It's that step in the dark that's really frightening. So in my survivorship, I just decided to solve [those] problems."
Hamilton has also acknowledged the intense good that has come with his difficult health journey.
“Looking back on those stressful days of dealing with the tumors, I am reminded that without that undiagnosed brain tumor, I never would have started skating,” he admitted. “The tumor stunted growth, so I wouldn't otherwise be the perfect size for skating.”
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Staying Positive Through Cancer
Life may be a drag sometimes, but in most cases, there is always a silver lining, some more obvious than others, like in Hamilton’s case: Meeting his wife on the same day he was diagnosed with cancer, and essentially winning gold medals because of the effects from cancer. Now that is truly inspiring.
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Hamilton has found a number of ways to help other cancer patients, survivors, and their families. On the fundraising side is the Scott Hamilton Cares Foundation, dedicated to funding innovative research. As for support, he created the 4th Angel Mentoring Program, in which patients and caregivers are matched with trained volunteer mentors with similar age and cancer experiences.
"Every day that I'm going through this, I'm going to find a way to laugh, I'm going to find a way to enjoy myself," Hamilton told us. "I'm going to find a way to love on my family and my friends. It's a journey."
It’s crucial to count your blessings. Focus on the things that you do have, at all times.
‘You Have to Find Something To Hold On To’ A Cancer Survivor's Love Story
Although we are more inclined to make cancer our foe for obvious reasons, it reminds us that we can also sometimes make it our friend and learn to live with it.
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