Omar Dawood is on a mission.
Dawood is a cancer survivor. When he was fifteen, he was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. His diagnosis came after “years of losing weight, continuous migraine headaches and extreme fatigue,” and by the time doctors were able to determine the cause for his symptoms, the cancer had spread throughout Dawood’s body – bone marrow included. He was told that the odds of survival were “very low.”
With the support of his family, Dawood began cancer treatment, enduring multiple surgeries and two years of chemotherapy. Fast forward ten years: Dawood learns that he has been cured, and remains cancer free. “I fought my battle with cancer with a smile and found laughter to be my release even on my most difficult days of chemotherapy,” Dawood says. But, he is quick to tell you that he could not have done it alone.
“My family was my strength and kept me laughing and hopeful through my years of treatment.”
When asked what it means to be a cancer survivor, Dawood says that it is a “gift.”
“When I finished my treatment I remember saying to myself ‘I have survived, I have beat cancer.’ [Being a survivor] gives me the chance to share my story of how I beat cancer with others...to inspire other patients and provide them with hope that they too can beat the odds.”
Now that he has completed a mission that his doctors initially deemed impossible, Dawood is on a new mission: to raise as much money as possible for cancer research. “I realized how important cancer research is to surviving cancer,” he says. “As a cancer survivor I decided to dedicate my life to inspiring others to support cancer research, to enter the field of medicine as a physician [Dawood is a physician and leads the development of clinical applications at CyberKnife] and to help other cancer patients find a cure.”
The Drive Away Cancer event is a ten-week fundraising effort. Dawood is so committed to raising funds for cancer research that he has spent hours answering phones and promoting the event on Twitter and Facebook. For $25, people can purchase a raffle ticket and enter to win a 2010 Porsche Boxster or $55,000 in cash – winner’s choice. There are also nineteen other cash prizes up for grabs. Dawood calls Drive Away Cancer a “campaign of hope,” and says that the people who help spread the word about his efforts are as important as those who donate.
“We can inspire others to become involved in helping us raise money for a cure and provide hope to the thousands of cancer patients around the world.”
Those interested in supporting Omar Dawood’s mission may call 1-877-LLS-CURE [1-877-557-2873] or complete the online raffle entry form on the event website. Forms can be faxed to 1-408-789-4277, and all forms – faxed or mailed – must be received by 8:00 PM PST on Tuesday, June 15th. Tickets are $25, and individuals are encouraged to purchase more than one raffle ticket. To learn more about how you can support cancer research efforts, and to read more about Omar Dawood’s story, please visit DriveAwayCancer.com.
Mesothelioma.com encourages ongoing cancer research efforts, including research focused on mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer that affects approximately 3,000 Americans each year. Please visit Mesothelioma.com to learn more about this form of cancer and to read about important research efforts in the field of thoracic oncology.
