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Team Tony: Survival Is Just The Beginning

Team Tony: Survival is Just the Beginning

By Lalaena Gonzalez-Figueroa

He was only 33 years old when Tony McEachern embarked upon a journey of a lifetime: the journey for his life. Diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer, his outlook, according to doctors, was bleak. Like so many who have faced cancer, he was overwhelmed with emotions, concerns and questions. And though thousands of individuals are diagnosed each year, he, like so many others, felt alone.

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The battle was arduous, but Tony was a fighter. With him were friends and family members as well as a team of amazing medical professionals at Duke University’s Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Cancer Center. He survived, emerging on the other side of cancer with a mission: to use his experience to help others. “Time and again, I saw people fighting cancer so hard and trying not to die, that they’ve forgotten to live,” reflects Tony. “No matter what you’re going through, you can still live each day.” He put that theory into motion, launching an 800+ mile walk from Duke to Sarasota to raise awareness for brain cancer. He raised funds as well, garnering nearly $25,000 which he donated to Duke. “I feel that I’m here because of Duke,” asserts Tony. “I wanted to give back to them as much as I could.”

Tony discovered another opportunity to give back, through dialogues with individuals he met throughout the course of his 43-day trek. “Every day, people came up to me and telling me how touched they were.” Every day there were stories, too. Stories of survivors and of those who had lost their battles. And with each passing day, Tony realized that he had something amazing to share: his experiences. Because despite the support and love that he had been so fortunate to have during his own fight with cancer, Tony had all too often felt alone.

In 2010, with the support of longtime friend and fellow cancer survivor Lori Mishos, he launched Team Tony, an organization dedicated to cultivating partnerships between those battling cancer and those who have survived the experience.

It’s a unique concept, and one that is desperately needed. Explains Lori, “You learn so much from cancer. You learn that life is precious, and that you should embrace every day and every moment you’re alive.” Cancer, she adds, is a catalyst for change in which individuals re-examine their priorities. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” remarks Lori. “You’re the same person you were before the diagnosis; Team Tony is here to help.”

They aren’t counselors and they don’t offer medical advice; Team Tony members are simply friends sharing experiences, lending an ear and answering the questions that truly matter to cancer patients. “Only someone who has been there can tell you what chemo is like,” notes Tony. “Our volunteers are proud to offer outreach to those in need, to share their stories and help others on their journeys.”

Adds Lori, “Nothing in life is done alone, and treating cancer is no exception. It takes a team of dedicated, compassionate people working toward the same goal, and Team Tony volunteers are honored to be a part of the process.”

Team Tony volunteer survivors are paired with individuals battling similar cancers. They offer comprehensive support to patients and their loved ones, and continue to help raise funds for cancer research. Team Tony is also proud to partner with a range of cancer organizations. Explains Tony, “There is never enough support for those who are battling cancer.” On the horizon is a guidebook for those facing cancer, as well as fitness and nutrition programs designed with patients’ needs in mind.

They’ve experienced firsthand the darkness of cancer, but Tony, Lori and the volunteer survivors of Team Tony are focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. Their referral network is growing readily, providing positivity and hope to those who need it most.

Team Tony volunteers are available to those in need. Individuals battling cancer, their family members and loved ones are encouraged to reach out. A helping hand is waiting, ready to offer support, companionship and solidarity in the good fight.