David Oliver’s cancer may be incurable, but his positivity is absolutely infectious.
The University of Missouri gerontology professor, known for his lessons on how to care for aging patients, has began a new form of teaching -- this time about the end of his own life. He is chronicling his struggle online on his website, David's Cancer Videoblog.
Well spoken and upbeat, Oliver shares his diagnosis with the Internet in stark but self-assuring terms: “I have nasal pharyngeal cancer. It spread to my lymph nodes and then to the bones, it metastasized the bones, and, Stage 4,” he says, nodding his head in affirmation. “So, it’s not curable ... but,” he says, “it is manageable.”
Oliver, 69, is devoted to fighting his illness with every ounce of his being. His loving wife Debbie attests to his struggle. In his latest video, Debbie talks about what it’s like as the caregiver and Oliver's “Superman days” that come after his chemo treatments. “I get so frustrated holding onto Superman’s cape so he doesn’t leap tall buildings,” she says as tears well in her eyes. She says about a week after chemo is "when the kryptonite sets in,” and they are finally able to rest.
But Oliver's social media prowess -- his videos have amassed thousands of hits -- caused him to be looked upon as nothing less than a superhero in the eyes of a small but faithful fan base. “You know, I could get three to five years if the chemotherapy works … six months,” he gestures with open palms, “if it doesn’t.”
Speaking to CBS News, he says in confronting the illness as a teacher, it was he who had to become student all over again.
"I'll tell you what my 92-year-old mentor told me. This is going to be a war for me. David versus cancer. A battle. And that would have been a terrific waste of time," Oliver said, according to CBS. "Instead, he said, 'Don't panic, don't struggle. Relax and accept it. It is what it is. You know none of us gets out of this alive.' And so, instead of wasting my time trying to battle this silent killer, I decided to -- it's a time to teach. If there ever was a time to teach, this is it."
Oliver says being able to share via social media has been just as important as the chemo treatments. In a video titled "Social Support,” Oliver says, “Social support is so important, and I want to give some ideas of how people have helped me, so (that) I’m not alone. And from emails to Facebook to text-messaging to telephone calls to hits on our blog to videos to social networking, it’s just unbelievable.”
“I’m so glad I’ve been open and public about this. I’m not so sure what would happen otherwise,” he said.
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