Mark Herzlich

celticdb15

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Sadly Boston college's stud MLB has been diagnosed with cancer.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Breaking-All-American-Herzlich-diagnosed-with-c?urn=ncaaf,163519
 

backrow

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there's a high chance he will recover fully, the cancer has not spread yet. he might actually even save his very promising career (he was going to be first or second LB off the board in the first round of 2010 draft), but most important here is obviously his health.

here's and article from boston.com:

BC linebacker Herzlich is diagnosed with cancer
By Mark Blaudschun and Stephen Smith
Globe Staff / May 15, 2009

College announced yesterday that star linebacker Mark Herzlich has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, a malignant tumor often found in bone or soft tissue. The cancer often occurs in male teenagers, most commonly in the pelvic area.

According to Herzlich's father, Sandy, the cancer has not metastasized.

"As you can imagine, the whole family is in a state of shock," Sandy wrote in an e-mail to a BC fan website. "We received very positive news that the cancer has not spread beyond its initial source. The recovery and success rate when the cancer hasn't spread is much higher."

Herzlich, 21, the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, has returned to Pennsylvania to be near his family and to consult with doctors on treatment options.

"This past week, I got some news nobody wants to hear," he said in a statement. "After undergoing some tests to determine the cause of some pain I had been experiencing in my leg, I learned that I have Ewing's sarcoma.

"Obviously, I was shocked. I had been extremely focused on preparing for my senior year at Boston College and for life beyond that. Now, I must channel all that energy into facing my toughest opponent yet and that is exactly what I will do.

"At this point, I do not know what this means for my football future, but I am determined to rid my body of this disease so that I can put that uniform back on. Thank you in advance for your prayers and concerns. Together, we will fight this and win."

Ewing's sarcoma is a form of bone cancer that strikes an estimated 250 people annually in the United States. "It shows up with an ache or a pain, occasionally with a lump or swelling that someone notices," said Dr. David Harmon, a bone cancer specialist at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.

Patients with the disease typically undergo chemotherapy, Harmon said, and may also have surgery or radiation treatment. Chemotherapy, the doctor said, would significantly slow down an athlete for a matter of months or even a year. "Everybody does get chemotherapy," Harmon said. "That's the hard part for a young man trying to do anything athletic."

An athlete's ability to return to competition is largely dictated by the size of the tumor, which, in turn, determines the extent of surgery. "If the lesion's not too big and it's not threatening a fracture in the leg, they might not have to do anything that would limit his career," Harmon said. But patients with larger malignancies face the prospect of having more bone and muscle removed as well as extensive radiation that can cause stiffness. Often, the tumors when discovered are the size of the fist and can be as large as a football or basketball.

Patients with Ewing's sarcoma whose cancer has not spread and who receive standard treatment have a survival rate of 70 to 80 percent, Harmon said.


The 6-foot-4-inch, 238-pound Herzlich, who has been a starter since his arrival on the BC campus three years ago, was coming off his best season. He was a first-team All-America selection last season and led the Eagles with 110 tackles and 8 pass breakups. He was tied for the team lead with 6 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.

Herzlich was banged up during the early part of spring drills last month. "Just the usual bumps and bruises," he said with a smile, explaining why he wasn't practicing one afternoon.

The linebacker felt better after the spring game April 26, in which he was the star on and off the field (the crowd around Herzlich for autographs far surpassed any other Eagle).

But when the pain in his legs and back wouldn't subside, Herzlich and his family became concerned. He told first-year BC coach Frank Spaziani of the diagnosis Wednesday night.

"It brings me to tears thinking about it," said Spaziani yesterday. "He's such a good kid. I told him that whatever we could do for him we would and that he should deal with it like he deals with things on the football field, just fight his way through it."

300h.jpg
 

green fire317

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BC's Herzlich eyes return next season

Compiled By The Inquirer Staff

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer this spring, returned to classes this week and said he hopes to play for the Eagles again next season.

Herzlich, the defensive player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference last fall, will finish radiation therapy this week.

The 21-year-old graduate of Conestoga High in Chester County still faces five rounds of chemotherapy, but he said his doctors are encouraged by the early results of treatment for Ewing's sarcoma.
 
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green fire317 said:
BC's Herzlich eyes return next season

Compiled By The Inquirer Staff

Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, who was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer this spring, returned to classes this week and said he hopes to play for the Eagles again next season.

Herzlich, the defensive player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference last fall, will finish radiation therapy this week.

The 21-year-old graduate of Conestoga High in Chester County still faces five rounds of chemotherapy, but he said his doctors are encouraged by the early results of treatment for Ewing's sarcoma.

I saw Herzlich on College Gameday Live this mroning. He looks like he's mystery meat. Derek Jeter-esque.
 

celticdb15

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Colonel_Reb

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<h2>Mark Herzlich at ease at combine</h2>http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=6164685


INDIANAPOLIS -- Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich
put an early charge into the media center at the NFL combine on Sunday
morning. When it was announced that Herzlich had arrived for interviews,
many scurried to Podium C to chronicle his inspirational story.

Wearing
a combine-issued black sweatshirt with the letters "LB" (his position)
and the number "6" on it, Herzlich revisited his comeback.<div ="mod-inline -right"><div style="margin-left: 10px; width: 200px;"> <div style="width: 200px;"><cite>Mike Reiss ESPNBoston.com</cite>BC
linebacker Mark Herzlich says he's back 100 percent physically after
being diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma after the 2008 season.</div></div></div>

"My
story is pretty public. I had issues. I had cancer," he told reporters
from around the country. "It wasn't a bad decision or anything along
those lines. It's something that made me a better person. I'm happy to
talk about it."

Herzlich, who measured 6-foot-4 and 244
pounds at the combine, exhibited presence and poise during the 15-minute
session in the 9 o'clock hour, speaking at the same interview podium
where highly-touted Auburn quarterback Cam Newton did the day before.

Herzlich
arrived in town Friday, went through the standard medical testing that
all prospects go through at the combine, and is now preparing for the
physical tests. He was clearly comfortable in his surroundings.

"A
lot of people stress about medical stuff," he said when asked about
being poked and prodded in physical exams by 32 teams Saturday. "I've
been plenty versed on true medical stuff."

Herzlich
reiterated that he's back "100 percent", pointing out that he now lifts
the same number of 225-pound bench-press repetitions he did before the
cancer diagnosis. He was asked to assess how far back he's come as a
football player.

"I think I'm back too," he responded.
"I've progressed, and I think everyone saw my progression week to week
during the season. A lot of people don't understand, I haven't had an
offseason yet to get my strength back, my speed back. My first practice
was three days before my first game. This month that I've had off, the
gains I've made have been incredible so far."

Herzlich has
been envisioning his progression continuing, setting him up to be at his
best the next time he steps on the field, as an NFL player. He believes
his versatility is an asset, as he can line up at various spots in
either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme.

As for where he's seeking
improvement, Herzlich pointed out that BC didn't play much man coverage.
That was an area that he worked on at the Senior Bowl in January with
Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald.

After the Senior Bowl, ESPN's
Scouts Inc. rated Herzlich as a late fifth-round selection. Herzlich
said he hasn't paid attention to such projections, although he believes
he's positioned himself well to show NFL teams what he can do at the
combine.

"Monday, when we work out, is going to be a fun
day for me," he said, adding that he hopes teams see how well he runs in
drills. "My goal is to go out there and impress some people with the
physical stuff."

That focus on looking ahead, and targeting
the next goal, is something Herzlich said he learned from his battle
against cancer. Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a form of
cancer that can attack bones, following the 2008 season.

"Once
I got diagnosed, I said a prayer every morning and night to be
cancer-free and play football again," he said. "That goal was what got
me here. I've talked to a lot of people going through cancer right now,
or are battling through something, and the biggest problem they have is
not having that light at the end of the tunnel. My goal happened to be
running out of the tunnel with my team. It got me through a lot of
things."

En route to the combine, Herzlich was reading a
book written by motivational speaker Bob Moawad, which he said had a
strong connection to his own journey.

"He talks about a guy
who was always happy, always positive, and someone asked him, 'Why are
you always happy?' His answer was that everything in life is a choice --
you can choose to be happy or choose to be upset about it," he said.
"If you choose to be happy all the time, and you choose to be positive,
then you're going to live a good life and succeed a lot. The power of
positive thinking helps.

"My motto through it was 'Stay
up.' There are a lot of things that can get you down, and staying
positive, keeping your head up, always looking forward, that's what I
did."

Mike Reiss covers the Patriots for ESPNBoston.com.
 

chris8812

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Herzlich is a class act, a true warrior. A word too often used these days in reference to athletes. Should be a first round pick. He has the ability, character, and work ethic coaches supposedly covet. I am a Patriots fan, and while Hoodie has always been every fair to whites on the offensive side of the ball he has kept it coal black in the draft. I am hoping for a first round that goes like this #17 JJ Watt #28 Herzlich #33 Ricky Elmore
 
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