"If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere." -Frank A. Clark. Everyday in our lives, we have obstacles to overcome. Most of you may not know that Mr. Tim Hollis, a coach and teacher at Park Center for 12 years, had one of the bigger barriers in life to defeat: Prostate Cancer.

Nobody wants to hear that they have cancer, or as Mr. Hollis puts it, "the C word." Unfortunately, Mr. Hollis had to hear it back in March 2007. Prostate Cancer only occurs in men, and is also the most common cancer found among American men.

What keeps your spirits up and gets you going when things go downhill? Maybe the drive you get in life is your academics, sports, or perhaps something else that means a lot to you. For Mr. Hollis, the things that kept his morale up when he learned he had Prostate Cancer was his faith, students, friends, and family. What was going through his head when he discovered that he had cancer? Well, he clued us in and stated, “When you hear the ‘C’ word, either you become a cancer survivor or a cancer victim. And I was definitely thinking how I would become a cancer survivor.” Thankfully, he is a cancer survivor, although it wasn’t all easy.

To become a cancer survivor, Mr. Hollis had to go through 3 doctors, and 44 treatments. Although it had to be done out in California, all the miles were well worth it. We’re happy to say that he has been in remission for a total of 5 weeks, and counting. After going through the rollercoaster of his life, he does see life differently now. He sees it as a second chance to live life to its fullest.

“Knowledge is power. Be your own advocate.” That is the advice Mr. Hollis would give to you if you ever come upon big obstacles in your life. And he used his own advice during his experience with Prostate Cancer. One doctor had told him that he should deal with his cancer one way, but he wasn’t so sure about it. In the end, he used his own knowledge and research to make his own decision. Some people may have bigger hurdles to jump than others, but in the long run, it’s not how big the obstacle is, but how far you have come because of it.

-Maria Pham, PCSH Webteam