Mark Greenberg

My Journey with Pancreatic Cancer

2023 marked a year of profound change for me.

In early October I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic “Acinar” pancreatic cancer. A rare form of pancreatic cancer.

Not only was I dealing with pancreatic cancer (which also took my father’s life 23 years ago), this particularly insidious form of cancer caused my body to produce an enzyme that was attacking the fat between my skin and muscle causing painful, necrotic tissue. I lost my ability to walk and spent nearly 8 weeks in the hospital, enduring five surgeries on my hands and feet to save them. The cancer had spread to my liver which was 90% cancerous at its worst.. .

The original prognosis was not good. In fact it was abysmal. The doctors did not expect me to walk out of the hospital. My vitals were not sustainable for long. I had months left at best.

However, my will and my faith told me differently. I had no fear.

With the love, prayers and support of my friends, family, beautiful wife Cynthia, the incredibly talented team at the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center and God, I have made a miraculous recovery. I am walking again, playing again, and…….booking a tour for the fall. My liver function is now in the normal range having regenerated itself from what my oncologist described as looking like a bomb had gone off inside it.

I would be lying if I didn’t say that this is of the most brutal battles I have faced, but I did not face it alone.

Things like this make you rethink a lot of your priorities. It also taught me that faith and mindset are everything. I was not going to be defeated. Never. God was with me on the entire journey. It was his call. I just had to do my part.

And while the fight was long, frustrating at times and extremely painful, it was also in some ways a positive experience. If one person finds hope from my journey through the fire and overcomes a dire prognosis like what I faced, it was worth it.

This video is from Nov 2023 when I was about six weeks into my two month hospital stay at the UM Sylvester Cancer Center. This was at a time where I was unable to walk. Truly I couldn’t even put weight on my feet much less sit upright without almost passing out.

My mindset was very different from what my body was saying. I didn’t care that my liver at the time was 90% cancerous and my life expectancy was about 2 months (at that time). I was telling the people around me to get ready and start planning on touring in May of 2024. The pain was excruciating but pain goes away. Cancer was never going to control me. Still, I needed my sticks and practice pad asap despite 18 stitches in my right hand from surgery. I’m sure Alan Dawson would’ve had a few notes for me on this particular set of “paradiddles”.

It wasn’t easy but determination is a powerful thing. Willpower is an incredible thing. Faith is a game changer and the love of friends and family is the extra point in overtime that wins.

None of this was done on my own. I have to thank my dear brother Ray LeVier who broke down those walls long ago and inspired me to believe all things are possible. Even Mark 9:23 says “All things are possible for the one who believes.”

There is no way to describe the joy I felt on May 22 2024 upon my return to the bitter end for the first time since my diagnosis. It’s hard to imagine that six months ago to the date, I was hospitalized at the University Of Miami, fighting for my life. I was still confined to a wheelchair and trying to take my first steps. The idea of playing drums again, possibly may never happen again given the surgeries to my hands and feet, however, determination and faith are two of the strongest forces in nature. If you ever feel that the odds are against you in life, I dare challenge you to face them head on with boldness. I am back. Yes, my body has a long way to go, but the pain will go away. The joy of life and living is way too strong.

Pictured above is of the most amazing human beings I’ve ever known, and a rockstar of rockstars in my world. This is Dr. Peter Joel Hosein. This man saved my life. He is the oncologist that treated me at the University Of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center. Words do not describe this humble, gentle genius of a man. His genuine love and care for patients is limitless. Thank you, Dr. Hosein for the gift of more time. My goal in life is to share with others in a similar situation, the relentless hope that you gave me. I have looked back on our journey together, and now I look forward to life anew, with even greater hope and dreams. Thank you. BTW I also tie an orange and green ribbon on my hi hat stand as a constant reminder of the incredible staff at the University Of Miami Sylvester Cancer Center.

One of the things that makes my journey through pancreatic cancer worthwhile is being able to share information with others. By default, you become an expert in the disease that challenges you. One of my main learnings from this whole experience was a genetic link to my pancreatic cancer.

I am sharing with you, the result of my 23andMe BRCA2 result. This test is actually wrong. I tested positive for the BRCA2 genetic mutation. Yes, men can carry BRCA 1 & 2.

As a matter of fact, there is a complete group of genetic mutations that people of Ashkenazi heritage have a very high likelihood of carrying. My point is that if you have any Ashkenazi heritage, ask your PC physician for the Hereditary Cancer Genetic Test or Ashkenazi Genetic Test. It likely would not have detected my cancer because of the type it was, but it would’ve given me a good reason to have gone to my PC on a regular basis to screen for as many things as might be present given my lineage. In my mind, I was too healthy to be sick. Near vegan, a CrossFit athlete and I don’t drink. I was wrong, nearly dead wrong. Don’t make the same mistake.

This is me on August 5th 2024. Perseverance is a key attribute, I believe, to surviving life’s biggest challenges. 8 months prior I was 126 pounds and on what could have been my deathbed. I wasn’t having it. I had resistance bands in my bed and I used them. My mind, my spirit and my faith dominated my pancreatic cancer. It was a viscous battle but I persevered through the pain. Doubt was not an option. Don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do, or who you can or can’t be….. it’s your decision, and yours alone!

August 13 2024: My fear of needles is getting better but last night I had an overwhelming emotional reaction to today. I volunteered to donate samples of tissue & blood for research. This involved my worst fears. Needles….. for some reason I cried myself to sleep, thinking I’m voluntarily just giving away (small) parts of my body and it’s going to hurt….but it’s to advance research so people may not have to ever go through what I went through and it was tears of joy. I’ll never know the true implications of it. When I look at my life and I ask myself what my legacy will be, perhaps this will be one the most important things I did in my life. Of course there’s more to be done. I blasted through 2 draws today. Life is good. I thank god for giving me hope and strength to conquer this and to give others hope.

If you or someone close to you is dealing with something like this, feel free to contact me. By giving others hope and spreading awareness of what I’ve learned makes all of the pain I endured, worthwhile. moelarrycu@aol.com