The head of the nation’s top mortgage industry trade group put business aside for a deeply personal blog posting on his fight against cancer. David H. Stevens, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association,
used his LinkedIn blog to present “‘Live Life’ Despite Cancer,” an overview of his experiences since his Aug. 15, 2016, diagnosis of Stage 4 prostate cancer.
“Hearing the word ‘cancer’ is something that is hard to explain, unless you have gone through it personally, but hearing ‘Stage 4’ in concert with that statement knocks you into an almost numbed state of mind,” Stevens wrote. “Suddenly the entire universe is viewed differently. Is there any hope, how long do I have, what about my wife and kids, what about our future? A LinkedIn blog cannot allow me the time to cover all that follows, but I thought I would share at least what I learned from that last year of multiple chemo treatments, radical prostate surgery, hormones, and radiation every day for eight weeks.”
Stevens used his experience to urge readers to be serious about monitoring their health, building a support network among family and friends, and keeping an exercise regimen. He also encouraged getting a second opinion when faced with a dire diagnosis.
“If I had stayed with the first urology team and hospital that diagnosed me in Washington, D.C., this would have been a faster death sentence,” he continued. “Medical treatment is not consistent and had I not found this team at Johns Hopkins I would not be in remission right now.”
Stevens added that he has no intention of surrendering in his fight for wellness. “To hell with cancer—for now I choose to live,” he proclaimed. “Until my next blood test in 90 days—until then—it’s time to enjoy.”
