Five years ago, in July 2017, Marc was diagnosed with a very aggressive 20 cm Adrenocortical Cancer tumor that had already spread to neighboring organs and veins, causing a thrombus and pulmonary embolism. It was initially unclear whether surgery was possible. With insight from The ACC center of the University Hospital Würzburg, alongside non-conventional treatments, Marc found healing no one predicted.
This is his story in his own words:
On the first night in the hospital, I thought about what the worst part of the situation is. It was clear to me that even at my age (45 at the time), I could already look back on a very fulfilling, happy, and privileged life. I feel like I have no regrets. I was lucky enough to grow up protected and supported.
In sports (track and field and cross-country skiing), I was able to push myself to my personal limits (being part of the Western Germany skiing team). With my high school diploma, studies, and doctorate as an economist (Ph.D.), I laid the foundation for a successful career in the financial sector in a wide variety of positions. At the same time, my hobbies were not neglected, such as a variety of trips to all continents. I have a close circle of family and friends, and above all, I was able to meet the love of my life in Japan. We celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary earlier this year.
What kept me awake that night wasn’t the fear of death. I accepted that illness and death are part of life. I was afraid of the last mile – not knowing how and when my life will end. After always having lived self-determined, now in the end being completely at my mercy. At that moment, I knew I would explore all options, from palliative care to in liberal Switzerland wide-used self-determined death with an organization, as soon as possible.
Against all predictions, cancer remained dormant for some time until I was put to the test again in 2019. A liver metastasis could be removed in the spring. But then in the summer, after a few weeks of uncertainty, various suspicious metastases were diagnosed in my liver. The situation seemed hopeless, and I was told that the disease was active and that I had little time left. In this phase, my wife and I dealt intensively with all possible forms of dying. A palliative care physician looked after me and we checked the hospice option. Up to the last hour, I have the freedom to choose how I will go. I am deeply grateful to Switzerland for this.
And again, I was lucky that chemotherapy worked, and I was able to gain valuable time – however much. This summer of 2022, I could do a 4-week cure in the High Mountain Clinic in Davos, where I received excellent holistic therapy (psychosomatic).
The therapies, Davos, and the mountains are doing me a lot of good. At the same time, I’m looking forward to my new life in different worlds, from mountains to the German North Sea coast, where we’ve got a holiday apartment. The next potentially life-changing CT is always around the corner. Nonetheless, I still have many plans, full of hope my journey continues.
We all will die once but will live every day until then. It’s up to you to make the best of the time gifted to you!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Marc is thriving as of August 2022.
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