On May 24, 2002, I was invincable. Not only could I jump over a tall building with a single bound, I could also clean the gutters as I was passing over the roof!

Then, at 11:00am on May 25, I got the news that I had colon cancer and a good shot of it. If I did nothing, I had roughly two years left! It would require serious surgery to cut it out and there was a slight chance that I would not make it through the operation.

Fortunately, there was a time slot open in the operating room at Joseph Brant, in Burlington, for 8:30am on the next day. However, I had about fifteen minutes to make a decision on the operation or the slot would have to be given to someone else!

That was when I truly understood how much my family meant to me and how much I meant to them.

On May 26 we fixed it and the surgery was done. Unfortunately, we ran into afew complications as part of the post-surgery process. The genuine support that my family, my friends and my business associates gave me was incredible! I don't think I would have made it without them. On the upside, I did not have to go through radiation nor chemo-therapy. I truely believe that God was looking out for me!

That's when I also realized that life is too short to hold a grudge. You never know when you will need someone or when they will need you. So, I fixed that, as well. I sat down individually with everyone with whom I had a challenge and put my hand forward to resolve our differences. That was one of the best moves I have ever made!

I still get into some great arguments, where opinions don't always change. However, we must end up agreeing to disagree.

Today, my cancer is in full remission and has been that way since the surgery. However, I have to have surveillance follow ups every two years. They are my early warning signals and have paid off in spades. I refer to them as my 'oil, lub & filter' servicing, but a lot more personal!

In June, my annual blood and liver testing got a passing grade. The more personal stuff is scheduled for this September and February.

If you know of anyone who is dealing with cancer, especially colon cancer, please do not hesitate to tell them to contact me.