Four-time Survivor Scott Baker’s Lymphoma Miracle and How He Gives Back

Under no circumstances would Scott Baker be labeled a slouch. Despite his kind face and eyes, his tall, athletic, and commanding stature would deter most from messing with him if they saw him on the street. Especially in 1999 when he was twenty nine years old and was clearly a regular weight lifter in the gym.

Unfortunately, cancer isn’t as discerning. But that was the year Scott started his eighteen year journey battling cancer.

Scott’s tiring battle with lymphoma started with abdominal pain

He has now been through not one or two and not even three but four bouts of cancer, an experience he says he wouldn’t trade for anything. His journey began with a diagnosis of non Hodgkin lymphoma after a pain in his abdomen turned out to be a tumor. He underwent surgery, chemo and radiation which had him back to work at his job as a Bridge Engineer for the New York Department of Transportation after about five weeks. Not long after, Scott met and married his wife Sue and they had two sons.

Then, when his second bout of cancer returned in 2006, he took a more holistic look at himself and his life and knew that there were things he needed to change and he felt like the recurrence of this disease was a sign that there were clearly more lessons he needed to learn.

Scott found it hard to change

Still a relatively young man, Scott kept going back to his old ways. He was quick to anger and held grudges easily. He would try to force his opinions on other people. A trait that wasn’t getting him anywhere and he knew he needed to let go of it, find more compassion, and be nicer to people. But letting go of old habits and who you think you are is sometimes the hardest part of growth. Eventually, lymphoma was the teacher he wouldn’t wish on anyone. But in the end, Scott’s story is an inspiring one.

Scott wanted to share his story with the world

It is a story he wished to share with other people who may also be dealing with chronic illnesses, so he penned and self published a memoir called No-one Rises Alone: What Almost Dying Taught Me About Living. Scott writes, “I know it sounds counterintuitive when I say this, but I have actually found the greatest happiness over the past two years, despite two of my most difficult battles with cancer. I know that I have been a better husband, father and friend than at any other time in my life. And while I don’t recommend it, this experience has taught me the importance of finding inner peace and commitment to change where it is needed.”

Read on to learn more about Scott's story and how he's changed, and is determined to give back. 

Photo: The Daily Gazette