Cancer sucks, we all know that. Lots of people get cancer and it seems like lots of people are lucky enough to recover. Some people just get a nut chopped off and they are good to go. Some people get some treatment and they go into remission and become cancer free for the rest of their lives.

Then there is CANCER. Unfortunately, my good friend Mark Beban (pictured in my avatar photo) has CANCER. 2 years ago he was in his mid 30s and broke his ankle. It didn't heal right and then one day he started coughing up blood. Went to the hospital, did lots of test and then got the shocking diagnosis that he had Stage 4 lung cancer. Especially shocking since Mark is a non smoker. But it gets worse, the CANCER had spread to his liver and brain. At the time the prognosis was that he might have less than 8 weeks to live. Father with 3 kids all under the age of 4 at the time.

Miraculously, soon after that the docs discovered that he was genetically predisposed to be affected by a wonder drug called Tarceva that only works on a small percentage of patients. The drug was a miracle, after a while the cancer started to shrink and combined with the chemo he was actually in remission for a while. The strength he showed during these two years is amazing. He would go to chemo in the morning and then come and play in our hockey game at night. This was as recently as last June. A true warrior, he lived up to his famous last name (his dad Gary beat out OJ for the Heisman back in the day).

Then, a few months ago the Tarceva stopped working and the cancer returned. Even worse, it had spread to his spine. They tried a bunch of other stuff, but nothing worked. How quickly he then deteriorated was shocking and really showed just how dire the original diagnosis was and how amazing Tarceva was for a time. In the last couple months it has gone was downhill. Three weeks ago he stopped eating. 2 weeks ago he stopped walking. Yesterday they finally made the call to stop treating and moved him to a hospice facility.

Just went there at lunch with another teammate of mine to visit. Seeing him at his house 2 weeks ago when he was struggling to talk and recognize people was hard enough, but seeing him at hospice was almost too hard to handle. They expect him to pass away anytime, might hang on for a month at most. 3 kids all under the age of 6. Brutal.

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Sorry to hear it shakes.

A college friend of mine is dealing with something similar with his new wife. Mid 30s and cancer in multiple places.

Hug your family and enjoy every moment with them. You never know what the future will hold.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Just awful Shakes, sorry to hear.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

Its hard enough seeing old people go through shit like this and die, but someone mid 30s with young kids of his own is insane. I don't know what to say, shakes.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Just awful stuff, Shakes. Didn't you guy do a big video thing or plaque for him? I remember something like that in the past. At least he's surrounded by his family in his finals days...whatever positives can be taken from this horrible situation.

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-- source

Possibly a month in hospice? Talk about kicking a guy when he is down. God should just take him already.

Glad you were able to spend some time with him on and off the ice before shit went down, shakes.

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Really don't know what to say. Just awful news.

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Sex isn't dirty, sex isn't a crime. It's a loving act between two or more consenting adults.

-Hank Kingsley

Sorry to hear shakes. I am sure he has appreciated the support you and the guys from the hockey team
have been able to provide.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Sorry to hear that shakes. God gave you all an extra 2 years to spend with him but I know none of that matters now. Stay strong my friend.

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

Man I'm sorry to hear that shakes. I remember reading a few random updates about your friend on Facebook when you told us about him. Cancer absolutely sucks. I'm still not really over losing my grandfather to cancer and that was over a year ago. It's hard to see someone you care about ravaged by such a brutal disease. Brutal man.

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Terrible, and to think I have been complaining about having a sprained ankle.

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"I honestly don't see a good bet on the board here."

Horrible news. Sorry to hear it.

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@audioidkid

That's terrible,Shakes. I'm very sorry for your friend,but he must be one hell of a tough guy to have fought this hard. God Bless Him!

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Stay strong man. Much love to you and yours.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

i sometimes wonder if people in his situation did smoke cigs their immune system would be ramped up to combat the toxins of smoking and at the same time be better able to fight the cancer.

it sounds like he just had really bad luck though. stories like this are why i hesitate to even have kids

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

i remember reading something like that too. all my deepest condolences to him and his family as well, shakes.

yea when he first got diagnosed we got all his hockey buddies from all the teams he played for or against and we posed for a big group photo with a banner wishing him well type of thing. Had a big night honoring him at the rink. Since then we've done a couple cancer walks. And a few weeks ago the family had about 100 friends and family over for an outdoor pep rally where everyone submitted a short video message and it was all edited together for a half hour movie which everyone watched outside on the lawn. Took a nice photo with him and our team. If I can figure out how to post it I will.

That was a couple weeks ago, the cancer has eaten away at him so much that even in those two weeks he has deteriorated so much that he is like a shell of himself. And he was 6'4, 240 before this happened.


Thanks for the well wishes everyone!

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Sorry to hear this, Shakes.

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Good people drink good beer - Hunter S. Thompson

<º)))><

Waiting for the time when I can finally say
That this has all been wonderful, but now I'm on my way

Sorry to hear, but glad he got that miraculous couple years. I remember when you first posted about it and it seemed like he had a month.

"Life's not fair. But it shouldn't cheat that much." (Mike Royko)

You all have my deepest condolences.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

That's awful, shakes. Sorry to hear about it.

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my friend passed at 2:30 this afternoon. Sad news, but grateful that its over and the family can start to heal, its been a really rough two years for them obviously.

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Sad. But now his suffering is over.
Just terrible.

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My Dad passed away when I was 8 after a similiar 2 year battle with fucking cancer . Mostly in the hospital for those 2 years where I wasn't old enough to visit and could only see him when he was well enough to come down from his room. I don't have a lot of memories of him but when I see events like this happen along with being a father myself to a young child it makes me consider the perspective of while it sucked for me to lose my Dad so early , I can't imagine how hard it was for him ( and shakes' buddy) to know you're nearing the end leaving your family behind . It's just fucking heartbreaking . God bless that family .

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Sorry for your loss Shakes... I remember when you had posted about him a couple of years ago... I'm glad he and his family had that time, even though it was short, to hopefully make some good memories especially with the young kids.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Very sorry to hear, shakes. My condolences to you, his family, and friends.

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Not a mult.

Bummer. Really sad story. Sorry to hear...

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"I'm not smiling because I thought what you said was humorous. I'm smiling because one day I know you'll be dead..."

Our first Championship in Skokie, that's Mark in the back in the middle with the black helmet balanced on top of his stick.

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Final get team photo with Beebs a couple weeks ago at a pep rally at his house.

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Man,that's terrible. I'm sorry for your loss,Shakes. What Hell it is to go through something like that.
I've been almost dead (2013-double pneumonia & a virus) & past dead this year but I think Cancer is a special kind of "sick". I pray your buddy is at peace now,no more suffering.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."