Mark Herzlich is all too familiar with being diagnosed with cancer and the battle that follows, and the New York Giants linebacker is hoping his experience with the disease can help general manager Dave Gettleman in the coming weeks and months.
Herzlich was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma before his senior season at Boston College in 2009. He spoke with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan over the weekend about Gettleman being diagnosed with lymphoma.
“I know how hard the feeling of first getting diagnosed is because you’re so nervous and scared about what’s going to happen,” Herzlich said. “I just wanted to let him know that I was here for him if he had any questions, little chemo tips that you learn along the way: Have a Jolly Rancher when you’re getting your IV in and put hot sauce on everything because it blinds the taste – little things like that. It’s a tough ordeal for him and for anyone who gets diagnosed.”
Gettleman was the Giants director of player personnel when Herzlich signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2011, so the two have known each other for quite some time. Herzlich considers Gettleman a “winner” and doesn’t expect that to change in his fight against cancer.
“I’ve known him from a long time ago, but you can just tell from his opening press conference. There’s no option. It’s just, ‘OK, this is one other thing that I’ve got to do that I’m going to beat,’” the linebacker said. “He’s been a winner his entire life, so that’s not going to change with this.”
Herzlich has been cancer-free for nine years, and he is planning to attend a chemo session with Gettleman. The GM says he wants to work as much as possible while undergoing treatment, and Herzlich believes things will get a little easier with each treatment.
“I tell everybody after your first treatment is probably going to be when your body feels the worst. So know that if you can get through that first day, you can get through 100 more days of it,” he said. “Your body gets kind of used to what it’s going to do, you get in a rhythm and it’s just plugging away. These medicines are so great and the doctors are so good, so if you can get yourself to go to chemo or go to your treatment every single day, that improves your chances of being successful.”
Obviously, having someone within the same organization who has been through a similar fight should be very helpful for Gettleman. We hope he’s able to bounce back quickly and return to his normal job responsibilities.
