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Baseball great Mike Schmidt became ‘concerned about dying’ after melanoma diagnosis
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Mike Schmidt, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995, developed a sense of invincibility during his 17-year career with the Philadelphia Phillies.
That changed in 2013, when a stage III melanoma diagnosis left him fearing for his life.
“From time to time, we all contemplate how great life is, and we never think things like this will happen to us,” Schmidt, 67, told HemOnc Today. “All of a sudden, it was happening to me, and I became concerned about dying.”
The disease spread to Schmidt’s lymph nodes, lungs and his brain, requiring him to undergo multiple surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation.
Now cancer free, Schmidt has joined Your Cancer Game Plan, a Merck-led awareness campaign designed to help people with cancer and their loved ones cope with their health, emotional and communication needs.
In this video, Schmidt discusses his diagnosis, treatment and follow-up regimen.
For more information about Your Cancer Game Plan, go to your http://www.yourcancergameplan.com. – by Mark Leiser and Kristie L. Kahl