Paul was a standup comic for twenty years; he always liked to put a smile on people’s faces. He still does, but now he wants to do it by helping—just one person.

“Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person.” Helen Barry

While trekking our Long Beach shore, you can’t swing a dead striper without hitting someone who has a story to tell. (my spelling auto-correct just replaced striper—with stripper. Swing a dead stripper? I quickly changed it back, but, oh Jeez, is that the cops at the door?)

People I meet often want to help others with their stories and experiences.

I kept seeing Paul on our beach or the boards, among other places. We chatted often.

One day, he did have a story to share, and no, I didn’t hit him with a dead striper, (striped bass)—or a stripper.

Paul was always tan, slim, and healthy. But that one day, Paul told me he had cancer. Wow! He looked so damned fit. Paul Suntup was fit—but for that damned cancer.

Other people I’ve known had cancer.

People I’ve loved had cancer.

I’ve had cancer.

I remember that day when my urologist called me at work to tell me I had prostate cancer; he seemed so eager to hang up. There was no encouragement; there were no supportive words. That doctor was not a people person; my personal care physician told me he heard bad feedback about him from other patients.

I had an aggressive cancer but I dealt with it successfully through another doctor, and now, twenty-seven years later— there is no recurrence. But sometimes, for others, it works in ways that didn’t need to happen.

I think my urologist should have been an engineer—or a shoemaker.

Please, those of you so gifted, don’t yield to the lure of money and prestige—do what you love to do—for yourself and all of us. Leave that health care slot for people who practice for rewards far beyond money and prestige.

Like the dedicated people of whom Paul speaks:

Paul’s cancer is different. His is of the pancreas, and he had two initial shocks to his system: first, being told he had it, and second—being told it metastasized.

Then it got harder.

Paul said only 13% of people survive five years with pancreatic cancer, up from 12%

But Paul, with his tenacity and fortune in finding the best doctors and treatment, is living with pancreatic cancer for over five years. As I write this, it’s been five years, three months, and counting. Paul credits excellent cancer support organizations for hooking him up to the best doctors and resources.

Paul gets help from Letswinpc.org (Lets Win) which does research and helps connect patients with doctors and treatment. They were a big help to Paul. Let’sWin made a video about Paul’s journey; it’s about his options, his decisions, and his perseverance.

Paul would like to share his experience and resources in hopes of helping just one of you.

Paul wants people to know he is not putting his story out for the notoriety. He’s doing it to help someone help themselves or somebody they know. He said, “It’s about getting it out there to try to help people.” He said, “It will be worth it if I can help just one person with this.” People who already know Paul’s story have told him how he helped them.

Paul said some people don’t want to talk about their cancer. He said he’s the opposite of that and is proud to live with it because he’s beating the odds.

Remember, Paul was a standup comic. You must be brave and bold to get up there and be vulnerable, but that’s what he was. Now Paul is standing up—to do it again.

Paul wants to show people how he’s beaten the odds and how perhaps they can, too. He’s as active these days as he ever was, he even serves on the board of his condo building.

Five years of beating the odds, five years of life, walking the boardwalk, sunning on our sands, traveling to Europe with family and friends—living life!

As people face severe medical trials, like Paul, or advance in age, like many of us, we feel our presence to be more tenuous on this blue planet. We see vividly each day how precious life is, how fresh and peaceful a Long Beach morning can be:

Paul Suntup, living on the lip of the Atlantic, couldn’t go wrong with a physician named Dr. Allyson Ocean, yes, Ocean, at Weill Cornell Medicine. She has been an integral part of Paul’s success.

Those who feel life is increasingly transient want to pass on what we’ve learned to others—to make a difference. I think this is innate to humankind. Helping others strengthens the fabric of humankind, generation after generation, one interlace at a time.

If someone wants to reach Paul they can contact the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, where he volunteers, PANCAN, 877-2-PANCAN, and request to be in contact with Paul Suntup. PANCAN will give them an email through which they can contact Paul Suntup.

Below is a link to Paul’s experience in his own words—and the video.

Through experience, I know many of you don’t like to link-click to see videos, but this one is worthwhile; it’s short, only three minutes and seventeen seconds.

Only your morning toast takes less time. Or, for others, sadly, an intimate evening encounter: 

The Let’s Win video.

Be well,

Leebythesea