Los Osos basketball coach cancer free after surgery
When David Smith received a call from his doctor on May 26, "He basically told me, 'You're gonna die.'"
Ten months later, the Los Osos High School boys basketball coach is cancer free. Smith underwent his second surgery on Thursday, this to combat any cancerous tumors in his liver. The remaining seven to nine tumors that had spread from his colon - where the cancer originated - were all calcified, according to Smith's wife Mary Jane, who sent this text message Thursday night.
"Another mircle. Cancer could not be found. All tumors were calcified."
Smith was diagnosed with colorectal cancer May 19 of last year. Five days later he was informed it had reached stage four, the most advanced of the stages. Having spread from his colon to his liver, Smith said patients in his condition are usually given 18 months to two years to live. The 51-year-old asked his doctor how long somebody had survived stage four colorectal cancer. Five years was the response. "I guess I'll have to make it six," Smith said.
Looks like it's going to be a lot longer than that.
Smith responded so well to chemotherapy - he coached basketball and taught his history class throughout the treatment, missing only one day because he was too weak - that the tumors in his colon were already dead when he had his first surgery on Oct. 23. Not knowing what to expect from a more invasive surgical procedure on his liver Thursday, the Smiths received the best possible outcome. The chemo had killed those tumors too.
"I want to beat this thing not just because I want to stick around," Smith said before surgery on Thursday, "but because I want to give people hope."
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About Clay
Clay Fowler has been covering high school sports for six years in California and Texas. He was born in Dallas, attended the University of Texas and worked in Central Texas before joining the Daily Bulletin staff in 2006.
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Congrats Coach!!! I am glad to hear the great news. We have an awesome God. I look forward to seeing you on the sidelines for years to come.
congrats coach. From the few times we've met uve been a great man. God truly did his work on you and your family. God bless coach smith! Go grizzlies!!
Congrats Coach on your recovery, its been a year since my mom recovered from cancer it really hits home! GOD BLESS you and your family, I read about your situation and prayed for you.