When Statistics Are Not Helpful
Here on FanGraphs, we talk a lot about probability and likely outcomes. When making a decision, we think it’s generally wise to understand historical precedent, and to learn from history rather than repeat it.
But, there are times in life that you’re not making a decision, and knowledge of the probability of outcomes just doesn’t help at all. You are just rooting for one specific result, even if you don’t have any control over whether it occurs or not.
I’m now in one of those situations. Last week, I was informed that I have Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a particularly nasty member of the cancer family. History has given my doctors all kinds of data about cure rates and life expectancy, and statistical analysis is helping them decide just what kind of chemotherapy I’ll be taking in a few hours, which I’m really thankful for.
But really, those numbers do nothing for me. I’m not going to be making very many decisions over the next few months. I’m just going to be rooting like crazy for the drugs to work. I need reasons for hope, and I won’t find much of that in the harshness of raw data.
Data isn’t always what is needed. If you’re a Pirates fan right now, does it help you at all to know that your team probably won’t keep this up? You’re not going to be making any decisions that will change the outcome anyway, so why not root for the outcome you want, even if it isn’t statistically probable?
Thats what I’m going to spend the next few months (and years, in reality) doing. Save the odds for the doctors; I’m planning on living a long time. I’m planning on beating this thing. I’m planning on watching the Mariners win a game, and at this rate, that might take years. I want to be around to see it, though, and I just don’t care what the odds say is likely.
For the rest of 2011, I’m unsure of what my involvement here will be. The hospital has wi-fi, so if I feel good, I might write ten posts a day. If the chemo sucks, you might not hear from me for a few weeks. At this point, I just don’t know what is going to happen, but I know the outcome I want, and the fact that the data suggests it may not happen is irrelevant to me.
Statistics can be powerful, useful tools, and at times, they can be critical to understanding what to do. Other times, though, they’re useless, and so, for this situation, I say screw the data; I choose hope instead.
I know many of you are going to want to know how you can help. For now, I’ll just ask that you strongly consider donating both blood and platelets to the Red Cross – they have a critically low supply of both at the moment. Thankfully, my wife is an oncology PA; we have great health insurance and are in the trusted care of her friends and coworkers, so financial assistance isn’t needed at this time. If that changes, I’ll let everyone know, but for now, send prayers in lieu of cash.
See you all when I can. Don’t get too used to not having me around.
Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.
I’ll pray for you.
“I will do nothing for you, but act like I am.”
What is the purpose of this comment other than to to incite?
The knowledge that people care enough to pray for you- or meditate on you, if you prefer that perspective- can do a lot to lift your spirits, which is a little more than doing nothing. Knowing people care about you feels good. Suppose he received 1000 get-well cards? That’d make him smile for sure. Find a way to say you care- it doesn’t have to be religious.
I will somewhat ironically point out that various studies (with their stat and raw data) have shown prayer to have a discernable positive affect in situations of illness.
So prayer seems to work. And even if it doesn’t…praying is a lot better than being an ass.
Kevin,
I would be interested in seeing these studies you speak of and checking out their methodology and conclusions.
call me skeptical
Who cares what you think? The one and only reason you responded was to be an ass and try to get attention. You are a pathetic scum.
One really has to wonder what goes on in the mind of someone who makes a comment like this.
I’m scum for pointing out that prayer has no demostrable effect?
That’s not why, you idiot. You responded to incite anger and to get attention. Either wish the man luck or shut up, you disrespectful pos.
No, I was trying to point out that instead of praying go give blood or platelets, do something that has a tangible effect!
Prayer is a platitude people offer up in lieu of actual action.
Except Dave clearly asked for prayers. “I’ll let everyone know, but for now, send prayers in lieu of cash.”
So while you say it’s nothing, clearly it means something to him. No need to be an asshole.
Lately atheists seem to be the worst, most aggressive of the proselytizing zealots, who use any and all occasions to try to convert you to their faith. And yes, “atheism” is a faith—it is a firm belief in that which cannot be proven, i.e., “God does not exist.” You cannot prove God does not exist anymore than I can prove that He does—so we are both acting on faith, and there is room for both of us in a diverse and free society. But only one of us attempts to use a person’s suffering as an opportunity to preach his faith, and in doing so crosses all boundaries of decency, compassion and simple good taste.
So, congratulations, “Hmmmm.” Your beliefs are your business, but your actions have made you the Fangraphs equivalent of Westboro Baptist Church.
I may be an atheist, but I am certainly still really, really hoping, if not explicitly asking a higher being, for Dave Cameron to beat Cancer and live a long life. this has nothing to do with religion. Hmmmm, please stop being a troll.
Avoid religious debate and just move on. It’s not the time and place.
All atheists are not provocative pricks like the above poster. And atheism is a faith like bald is a hair color.
I couldn’t agree more with you about the praying, but do you really need to get into a religious argument here? Not the time, situation, or place.
And with that…you’re in my THOUGHTS, Dave.
I’ve conducted a review of the studies that report that prayer has a positive effect on medical outcomes – no joke, I’ve actually read these papers – and it turns out that there’s no evidence that private thoughts have any effect on the health of remote others.
More importantly, knowing that people care about you (including knowing that they are praying for you) and participating in a caring community have significant, positive effects on both health outcomes and quality of life.
* with best wishes for a full recovery *
I am sorry If I am coming cross as a prick. And not, it is not a time for religious debate.
Best of luck-you’re in my thoughts.
Please get better. We need to keep you around so that we have someone to get mad at about trade value.
Dave = Nolan Ryan. Cancer = Robin Ventura. Commence to beatin’!
Plus, at some point Seattle really will have the #6 ORG. He’ll have a lot of “I told you so”s to dish out!
let’s not be ridiculous, chuck
Truly devastated to read this, Dave. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Here’s some hope that you quickly and painlessly make a full recovery, and that you send your Acute Myeloid Leukemia into permanent remission.
I hope that you are able to release that Leukemia, it may be as hard as getting rid of Chone Figgins Contract, but I believe you will get well fast. Stay positive and keep living your life. Someday we will all meet our fate. For you I will pray that will come in many, many, many more years. I pray for long life with tons of happiness for you Dave. Keep doing what you love to do. Don’t let Acute Myeloid Leukemia take your life away while you still have time to live it.
I’m a big-time Dave Cameron fan – I’ve said before that you’re one of my favourite sports wrtiers. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I sincerely wish you the biggest WPA possible!
Dave, take care of yourself, and more importantly, beat this thing.
Sorry to hear that you are going through this. Good luck in beating this- you are in my thoughts and prayers. #rootingforagoodoutcome
When you read someone’s work for years, you can’t help but feel like you get to know them a little bit ‘off paper.’ Best of luck, Dave, to you and your family throughout this process – you’ll beat it.
Dave, best of luck during this process. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.
This is one of those ugly little reminders that there’s more to life than baseball; we’re all wishing you nothing but the best of luck.
AML is a bitch from what I studied in school. I’m rooting for medicine and for you.
Best wishes from over the pond, Dave. (I know location doesn’t really matter on the internet, but perhaps it’s nice to know the geographical spread of those wishing you well?)
Best wishes, Dave. I’m hoping for the best for you.
From a Red Sox fan who grew up hoping for the statistically anomalous to happen here is hoping you a confident and quick victory. Your WAR is leading the league and it’d be a shame for injury to keep your form winning the MVP!
Thinking of you buddy and wishing you the best—Boog
Wish you all the best, Dave. Be mentally strong and you will that sucker!
I hope you beat this disease, Dave. When you’ve got it under remission, you can hopefully look back at this light-heartedly and maybe make a retroactive WPA graph. My thoughts are with you.
There is a 100% chance I’m rooting for you to get better, Dave. With zero standard deviation.
Thoughts and prayers and good luck..
As per usual, another outstanding bit of writing, Mr. Cameron. Good luck.
All the best, Dave.
Good luck to you, sir.
I just saw this on twitter. Take care of yourself and be strong, brother. My prayers will be with you and your family as you beat this…
I’m so sorry to hear about your illness, Dave. I hope you beat it quickly. We’re all pulling for you.
Wishing you the best of luck Dave. Hope to see you back as strong as ever soon. You’re absolutely the best Dave Cameron out there!
My best wishes, Dave. May you have the strength to battle through this.
My thoughts and prayers are with you Dave stay strong and focused and you’ll be this disease
Best of luck Dave. If it makes you feel better, those odds can be skewed by including people in worse health than you are (elderly with this affliction, people who don’t eat healthy, people with multiple diseases.) Your odds are better than they’re letting on, so keep on fighting the good fight!
Dave, I, along with many others, are pulling for you. If and when the going gets round remember how many fans you have around the world. Beat this thing and get back to doing what you do so well.
Wow that totally sucks. I applaud your attitude and wish you the best. I’m a big fan (mostly of the discussion that ensues after every post) and I hope everyone can lay aside opinions of your opinions and just send you good thoughts. I don’t pray personally but I’ll be thinking of you. Good luck Dave.
i plan on making fun of your #6orgs for many years to come, dave. be well and stay positive!
Hoping for a full and speedy recovery for you, Dave. We’re all rooting for ya!
Damn. Dave, you’re my favorite sports writer. I absolutely love your work. Keep your head up and keep laughing and smiling. We’re all rooting for you.
Good luck Dave, a lot of people are praying and rooting for you.
Get well soon and good luck Dave. We all are rooting along side you.
Truly sorry to hear that – here’s to a full and speedy recovery!
Oh, it’s so heartbreaking to hear this news. I’m quite new to Sabermetrics — only since last November. But within this short period I have read many of Dave’s past articles and found them extremely insightful. But more importantly, Dave seems to be a genuinely nice human being.
I pray for your recovery. And best wishes for your family in these tough times. Stay strong and always remeber how many people love you all over the world.
Hang in there man. Everyone’s pulling for you!
Hang tough, Dave. We’re all pulling for you.
Hang in there, Dave. No doubt that you’ll beat this thing.
Terrible news. Glad to hear you’re upbeat though. Best of luck getting through it Dave. We’ll all still be here when you get back.
Dave Cameron!!
Nice positive attitude, keep it up!
Stay positive, Dave. Hang in there. You can beat it, you will beat it.
Pulling for you, Dave.
Jeez, sorry to hear and glad that you plan on kicking that thing’s ass. Like Sam Fuld says, when you’re in the game, you don’t think about the stats — you just run into the wall and catch the damn ball.
I look forward to your writing as always, and now I’m rooting for you too.
We all root like crazy for our favorite teams, and debate statistics and the like till we are blue in the face, but then something like this happens and pulls you back into reality. Get well soon, Dave.
I wish you the very best, Dave. You are in my prayers.
Love you, Dave.
I’ll pray for you Dave.
I have been donating platelets for a year and would also encourage others to do so. It takes about 1-1.5 hours and is a great way to read a book and relax after work without your wife/girlfriend, friends, children, etc… having the slightest excuse to disturb your peace. The best part is that the free juice boxes afterwards are a nice way to relive the joys of childhood.
Good luck Dave, I count on following your work for many years to come.
I double what Domingoes wrote. Its a pain-free (or very-close-to) way to give a tremendous gift. It makes a difference to people in your community and is a positive sign of our humanity.
I turn off dice rolls and card splits when I play strat, because it takes away my enjoyment of the game. The likeliehood of something occuring more (or less) than 50% doesn’t mean that it should (or shouldn’t) happen.
The batter knows he’s going to fail between 60-70% of the time and vice-versa the pitcher. And in a season, that works. In fact, that’s the only way for players to remain sane.
But for that situation when there is one at bat, one out left in the season. Every player and every fan savors the moment of complete hope, unblemished by the reams of numbers that came before.
Mr. Cameron: work hard on your recovery.
We’re with you, Dave.
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family Dave.
Good Luck, Dave. Keep us updated.
Situations like these are why I celebrate boring, run of the mill, days. I can’t imagine how one comprehends and accepts the situation of one day just being ‘normal’ and then the next preparing one’s self to battle cancer.
It’s great that you’ll have support as you go down that road. Wish you a quick recovery.
I was at an M’s game the year they first made the playoffs (95), when they needed to win out to catch the Angels. The M’s were down to the A’s I think, 6-0 pretty quickly, and I figured I’d get my young son home early so he could get to bed. Just as we began to head up the stairs toward the exit, Vince Coleman hit a grand slam, and we hurried back to watch them win.
The odds can be beaten. Remember the “Refuse to Lose” M’s!
I’m not typically a “leave a comment” kinda guy, but I really enjoy reading your posts here at fangraphs, and I hope you beat this thing and get yourself better soon. We’re all pulling for you.
good luck dave… stay positive brotha
Get well soon, Dave. Rooting and praying for you. You’ve been such an inspiration for me and you were so hospitable over the past year while I was at FanGraphs — especially when the FG crew met in AZ. I wish you the best.
I’m pulling for you, Dave.
Good luck Dave.
Have always enjoyed your writing, both here and at USS Mariner. Without easy access to games on TV, it was one of the things that enabled and encouraged me to follow baseball. It’s now my favorite sport.
Look forward to reading more in the future.
I am sorry to hear this. I will pray for you.
Dave, screw what the Book says-we’re all cheering for those drugs to come through in the clutch! We all hope you recover as soon as possible, and we’ll be supporting your Mariners for the time being. Best wishes from Toronto!
Dave, I’m very sorry. About two years ago, my brother began a battle with CML (and later ALL). I was the donor for his bone marrow transplant a year ago in February. He’s doing well now. It’s hard and will continue to be so for a long time – for you and for your family and friends. I won’t tell you that everything will be alright – we just don’t know – but I will tell you to keep your positive attitude and embrace any and every opportunity to enjoy the life you have. Good luck, and keep us posted when it is convenient and comfortable to you.
Very, very much in my thoughts Dave.
Best of luck Dave… the internet can be a mean place, but this comment thread shows how much people care about the person behind the words.
Best of luck with the treatment and recovery, and thanks for sharing your personal story and thoughts …you will be in ours!
Good luck man, tough news to hear.
Please recover as quickly and completely as possible Dave! It’s safe to say that everyone who knows you (or knows of you) is rooting for you as hard as they can. You deserve the best and more.
Good luck.
Very sorry to hear this, Dave. I’ve always enjoyed your posts. I wish you a smooth recovery.
Wow, what awful news for the morning. Hang in there and be strong.
#6org 4 life!
My thoughts and prayers are with you Dave. I sincerely wish you the best of luck with your treatmeant.
Really puts baseball in perspective. Just remember be gritty
The power of the mind and positive thinking cannot be overstated in conjunction with medicine. Dream of kicking Cancer’s ass. My prayers are with you.
Dave, all the best! My thoughts are with you…
best of luck.
Brought a tear to my eye and a prayer to my heart. I wish you all the best, and I know everyone here is rooting for you.
I have only met you once, and from the one impression I found that you were a strong, thoughtful, and honest person with a great sense of wit. Your words meant a lot, I’ve spoken with other writers and they weren’t as encouraging as you. I hope your recovery goes outstanding, and that your strength and determination in overcoming your cancer resembles the 2001 Seattle Mariners success.
Praying for you and your family through this. -James 5:15
Good luck, Dave.
Thoughts and prayers Dave, were rooting right along with you
That’s terrible news. Good luck, i hope you get well and recover 100%.
Stay strong, Dave
If you want to make God laugh tell him you know the probability of anything happening tomorrow (borrowed from another good saying). I have had found many friends in similar situations. Their friends and I usually put together a prayer chain…where someone somewhere is praying for you once a hour for every day. I’ll pick 10pm ET. Others can pick other times until we have 24 hours filled up (feel free to duplicate times). If you choose to do this copy and paste the following in your message and add your name:
12a ET:
1a ET:
2a ET:
3a ET:
4a ET:
5a ET:
6a ET:
7a ET:
8a ET:
9a ET:
10a ET:
11a ET:
12p ET:
1p ET:
2p ET:
3p ET:
4p ET:
5p ET:
6p ET:
7p ET:
8p ET:
9p ET:
10p ET: Tom Maurer
11p ET:
We’ll be rooting for you, Dave.
P.S. I have loved baseball since I was a kid. My son really didn’t start to enjoy the game until I introduced him to this site. Now he loves it as much as I do. He literally wants to grow up to be like you.
Good luck Dave. The power of your positive belief will help you greatly in this time.
Best of luck Dave.
Anyone who wants to help, there’s some information here:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/platelet-donation
Dave you’re simply the best. You can beat this and we are all in your corner. All the best to you and your family during this difficult time.
Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery, Dave.
Good luck, Dave. I’ll be rooting for you.
Want to send along my prayers Dave. As another NC resident, I assume that you are well taken care of through medical care and as someone who has seen a very close friend battle cancer with the good people of Baptist and Forsyth Medical Center Hospitals in Winston Salem, I pray for the best for you.
Positive thoughts and vibes your way, Dave. Your contributions around these parts are invaluable and I look forward to more in the future.
I’m rooting for the best possible outcome, and it looks like I’m far from alone in that.
Dave – you have all the intangibles to beat this… Seriously, you and your family are in my prayers and my hopes, all the best.
Dave, my thoughts are with you. This is terrible news, but I know you’ll beat this. Screw the odds, only people in their sitting in their underwear in their mother’s basement care about that crap anyways.
I’m so sorry to hear this. I hope chemo is successful and complication free.
prayers for you dave. you can do this.
Pulling for you Dave
Baseball would not be the same without you. Good luck, we’re with you all the way.
I will add you to my list of people I am praying for Dave, my best to you and your family. I look forward to reading your stuff for another 50+ years, get well soon.
Best of luck, Dave. The strength in numbers here is hopefully the number of people who are pulling for you.
Best wishes, Dave. I hope you beat this thing soon and come back better than ever.
All the best, Dave! Fight this! Boston’s keeping the faith for you
Intangibles can be measured. Cancer can be beaten. Hope can become reality. You can stay strong. You can win.
This makes me want to go find my wife and son and give them a big hug and kiss. Stay strong.
Your stats only serve to confuse me! Get down to the bullpen, get your work in, come out and throw strikes, Good things will happen! Dave your are tougher than nails, hammer this unwanted intruder into remission and get back into the rotation. Prayers!
I don’t ever comment – I’ve been a no-good lurker I guess – but I’ve been reading you religiously ever since I found your writing. You’re wonderful to read. Take care as I’m sure there will be difficult days to come; I’m sure you’ll have the strength to fight through them.
Get better Dave. You’ve enabled me to better understand and appreciate the game I love, affecting profoundly my outlook not just on baseball. Thank you.
good luck dave.
Best of luck Dave. I’ll be praying you get well soon so you can continue to entertain and educate legions of baseball nerds (including me).
Best of luck. Grey and I at Razzball are rooting for you!
Best wishes and a swift recovery.
This is upsetting.
Best of luck my friend.
Get better, Dave.
Dave, if there’s one thing that SABRists and non-SABRists can agree on it is that you have a full and speedy recovery. Stay well!
Best wishes, Dave. You’ll be in my thoughts.
Get well ASAP, Dave, so I can log a SD for you and a MD for bustedass cancer.
That’s right Cameron, statistics just don’t matter when it comes to something like this. Attitude, heart, soul, mind, spirit, from within, grit, guts, determination and professionals and loved ones as part of your team.
You are not alone. I had to use the above to overcome TC. LiveStrong.
My thoughts are with you. Good luck and can’t wait to see you on the other side of this thing.
Get well soon, Dave. We’re all pulling for you.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Get well soon and good luck Dave. You are one of my favorite sports writes, and I look forward to reading you for a long time.
i sincerely extend my best wishes toward a speedy and full recovery! your writing, through this blog and elsewhere, has brought me much joy, and enriched my life and love of baseball very very much. get well!
Dave, I hope your chances are better than the Red Sox making the playoffs. Good luck.
Dave, I’m so sorry to hear of your diagnosis. AML is tough to beat but not unbeatable. I’ve had some recent personal experience with the disease and managing its care, and I have some quick pieces of advice for you.
– Get every one of your family members typed TODAY, for future bone marrow donation possibilities. Even members who are not 6/6 or 10/10 matches may be useful (one friend had continual success with a brother marrow donations despite not being a match).
– Do the first round of chemo for sure, but do not get talked into “waiting and seeing” how it goes. Get your bone marrow search started right now, because it takes months to work and you may not have the time.
– Talk to an expert at one of the leading transplant hospitals in the country. Hopkins, NIH, MD Anderson in Houston, plus facilities in Boston, Seattle and Minnesota (google searches should easily enough find them).
– Don’t wait until your white blood cell counts or blasts rule you out of transplant programs. Be proactive.
– STAY HEALTHY. You may want to go out and be social or do athletic activities, but if you scrape your knee with a compromised immune system you’re as good as dead. Wear your mask in public, limit your exposure to new people, crowds and little kids.
Good luck Dave.
Re:”AML is tough to beat but not unbeatable.” – My sister had AML & a bone marrow donation, and now is 10+ years cancer-free and probably enjoys life more than she did before. Best wishes.
Get well Dave. Thoughts and prayers are with you to beat this.
You’ll be in my thoughts, Dave.
You’re one of the most thoughtful writers out there. So you just keep planning on beating this, and I’ll keep on planning to read great articles written by a genuine guy. (Thanks again for taking time to respond to my tweets.)
Best wishes, Dave. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you.
If you die, can I have your spot on the staff?
Not generally one to respond to trolls, but you are a fucking disgrace.
You really should stop and think about what you value in life. You should also think about what kind of person you have become, writing a thing like this to another human being.
Don’t give these morons the attention they’re obviously looking for.
what. the. fuck.
Dave, who cares what the number says, just come out swing and beat this thing, just like jeff francoeur
Best wishes to you. I’m choosing hope as well. I’ll keep you in my prayers.
Best wishes Dave. Positive outlook > sucky diagnosis.
Dave–You are in my prayers. All the best to you and your family. Can’t wait to read you next article.
Dave you’re the first advanced statistical writer I’ve ever read and you made me fall in love with baseball sabermetrics. Stay strong, stay hopeful, everyone is rooting for you.
Dave,
Like any baseball fan would, I’m rooting for you. Get the antiquated W.
Praying for you Dave. We might disagree on certain things, but this isn’t one of them. You can beat this.
Get well soon, Dave. We’re pulling for you.
Dave-
You’re in my thoughts. Beat this thing. Baseball needs you.
Best wishes. I was told I had months to live two years ago tomorrow due to cancer, and have had nothing but good results since then. I believe attitude helps and like the sound of your attitude. Fight on!
Wishing you nothing but the best of luck for you Dave.
Prayers will be sent. All the best.
No matter if I agreed or disagreed with your points, I’ve always thought you were a great writer, Dave. Really, it’s been your work, above all, that has gotten me into sabermetrics. When I was first interested in it, I had the pleasure of talking to you, and you were very informative despite my limited knowledge of the subject. I wish you the best, and hope you have a quick and speedy recovery. As I’m sure all readers will agree, you’re a great writer, and will be greatly missed if your writing is limited. You’ll be in my thoughts.
Your intangibles are tangibly awesome, best wishes to you Dave.
Damn. Your writing is a staple of my reading diet. I hope to have your words to chew on for a long time to come. To your health. -Josh
Get well, Dave … pulling for you and praying for you.
Dave, Best of luck fighting this. Will be rooting for you.
All the best Dave. With a positive attitude like yours, the odds will always be in your favor.
My father lived with and fought the same type of cancer for years. Said it was the hardest but best years of his life. I hope you’re able to beat it and to find the good things in the same fight. Given your sharp insight, something tells me you will. Good luck.
Also, if the moderators will let me slip something through: Fuck cancer.
Best wishes, Dave, to you and all your loved ones.
Eat as much fruit as you can, Dave, if you can stomach it with all the chemo. No joke… the nutrients will help a LOT with rendering the cancer benign if you can manage. Melon (honeydew, cantaloupe) especially.
Stay positive and get healthy.
Very shocked/saddened to read this, Dave. Spending so much time over the years reading someone and listening to them on podcasts makes you feel like you know them a little bit. Wishing for all the best in your treatment and recovery!!
I went through chemo for Non-Hodgkins’ Lymphoma 3+ years ago. There are life expectancy rates that are scary. My doctor did tell me, and I will tell you, It’s just data. They’re averages. Included in the averages are people who don’t make it through chemo, and people who are 20 years out and still going strong.
I was also told to not read up so much on the data and particulars, because it will make you crazy. This stuff is scary as shit, but you’re going to come out on the other end. Granted, the cold-calls from LifeSource and other blood banks will stop quite abruptly, (and that was a little unnerving), but you are going to get to the other side of this.
Eat as much broccoli, leafy greens, and any vegetable that’s orange – as you can. It’s your’s. Own it. My wife and I would joke. I’d say, “Honey, I don’t know if anyone’s told you yet, but I have cancer.” We’d laugh, then cry. Dark, I know. At work, people would ask me how my weekend was, and I’d tell them we went to a friend’s house to watch a movie, and all they had was Brian’s Song and Terms of Endearment.
Yes, Dave does have a lot going for him. He’s about thirty years younger than the median age of diagnosis of this disease, he’s quite healthy overall, and he has high-quality treatment available to him. That said, if the cytogenetics reveal a deletion in one of the chromosomes or, worse, an aneuploidy, the prognosis is pretty grim. The worst varieties have a five-year survival rate below 20%, and a relapse rate above 70%. Of course, if it’s one of the benign translocations or inversions, he has almost nothing to worry about; those cases are extremely treatable, although it’s obviously going to be an unpleasant experience.
Dave, do they know the cytogenetics yet? I sure hope you have one of the less aggressive forms of the disease.
Dave,
I love reading you, so get well and get back to writing soon!
My prayers go out to you and your family.
Good luck, Dave. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep up the spectacular writing and positive outlook.
Dave, just look at the out-pouring of affection you’re seeing here just in the past few hours. You’re a loved man, Dave.
Most of these people hardly even know you, so I’m guessing that the people around you must be giving you 100% right now. I hope you nothing but the best in the future, man, and I desperately hope to continue to read, write and work with you on the web in the future.
Get well, Dave, we all want you around these parts. Forever.
Best of luck, Dave. You mean a lot to all of us.
Hope your medical staff is a #1org!!! Best wishes, and don’t be gone too long!!!
Stay positive. Make the most of every minute of everyday.
You’re a big reason why I got into the modern stats movement. You’ve made my enjoyment of the game skyrocket and for that I cannot thank you enough. Get yourself better, you’ll beat it!
LOL. Great post.
I´m rooting for you, my best wishes, you´ll beat this, and for the idiots who are saying bullshit, go to hell, u´re assholes without respect or class, if you are an idiot, just don´t comment
Best of luck against this viscous disease. Love your writing and hope to continue reading new material from you, far into the future.
Such terrible news. As a friend of mine put it, “it was like waking up to a gut punch.” Best of luck Dave. With your positive attitude, you will beat this.
Good luck, Dave. Keep the faith. You sound like a lucky man with the resources you have in your wife/employer/friends.
Tough comment.
Thanks for sharing a lot of great baseball analysis with us. Now concentrate on getting well. Best wishes.
Pretty amazing how you’ve managed to impact so many people you’ve never met. Hopefully that gives you some strength along the way. Get well soon sir.
Wow.
Best of luck, Dave.
If not for you and this site, I’d probably still be one of those fans that I now shake my head at during countless game threads, trade discussions, and the like. You’ve been invaluable to me as a resource in learning even more about the game I love most.
Keep up the good fight.
-C
Best wishes!
Shit. Goddamn it. I hope you beat that fucker.
Good luck Dave. We need you back and healthy so we can make #6org and Robinson Cano jokes in perpetuity. 🙂
Good luck Dave, for what it’s worth your chances of survival are significantly higher given your age.
Good Luck, DC. You’ve gotta a lot of people wishing you the best, don’t let us down.
OMG JUST KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, DAVE. YOU MEAN SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH TO ME EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEVER MET YOU BEFORE. YOU’RE PROBABLY THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON IN MY LIFE AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU. WORDS CANNOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE MY FEELINGS FOR YOU. AFTER EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY, INTRODUCING US TO WAR AND UZR, I FEEL LIKE I’D BE LOSING MY FATHER OR MY BROTHER. PLEASE DONT DIE ON ME CHIEF, I CAN’T HANDLE IT. I MIGHT HAVE TO OFF MYSELF JUST TO BE WITH YOU.
HOW DO I LIVE WITHOUT YOU
I WANT TO KNOW
HOW DO I BREATHE WITHOUT YOU
IF YOU EVER GO
HOW DO I EVER, EVER SURVIVE
HOW DO I
HOW DO I
OH, HOW DO I LIVE
And I thought I was the douchebag of Fangraphs. What the hell is wrong with you people?
I don’t believe in Heaven and Hell, but I do believe in good people and bad people. Anyone that would take the time required to write something so morally bankrupt is a disgrace. Why would you do such a thing? No one else can judge you personally because you’re anonymous, but don’t you ever judge yourself? I hope writing inappropriate comments on FanGraphs is the extent of your malfunction.
Posts like these cause me to agree with my mom that people should be forced to post their names and address before posting online to deter this sort of abuse.
Balls. I hope you continue to write, not just b/c my baseball knowledge will suffer w/out it, but mostly b/c that would be a good sign of your health. Considering the context at hand, this may not be much consolation at all, but at least there’s 3 more months of baseball to help get you through this. Best wishes.
You got this Dave.
I have a friend with the same diagnosis – goes in for bone marrow transplant on Wed.
Positive thoughts going out to you to Kick cancers’ butt.
If people are interested, there is always a need for marrow matches. Please check out the “Be The Match” registry at http://www.marrow.org. It’s easy to register, totally painless (just mouth swabs), and someone may be out there waiting for you to save their life.
I just registered at http://www.marrow.org. I’ve been meaning to do that for a long time. I heard this news and had to do it. Dave, you’re saving lives already!
I hope you never need a marrow donor and that your battle and recovery go smoothly. Keep fighting. Don’t hesitate to rely on your family and friends and all your devoted readers around the world for support and inspiration.
I challenge every Fangraphs reader to register as a bone marrow donor and while you’re at it donate a pint of blood. There is always a shortage of blood, platelets and plasma. Dave will be needing Blood and Platelets. It doesn’t matter that you live on the other side of the country, or in a different country in my case, what matters is that you do it so that someone is helped. As I write this, there are over 300 comments on this thread – imagine is 300 people donated a pint and registered, and each of them got a friend to come along…
Moderators: If there is a way to post this challenge more prominently, rather than as the 189th comment in this thread, please do so.
What a great idea for a real opportunity for all of us who are part of this “community” to do something. I’ve been on the registry for a decade and truly hope for a day when they call me.
The testing, record-keeping, etc for each new member of the registry cost roughly $100. The Be the Match folks generally have funding in place to cover that cost, but it obviously remains a barrier for many – especially in the socio-economic demographics where there is the greatest need for new marrow donors.
So how about it… can we work with the fangraphs team to drum up a campaign to join the registry and/or support it financially? (Certainly, if Dave has another interest instead, let’s follow his lead.)
I will be praying for you Dave. I just lost my aunt to cancer not too long ago and it’s such a devastating feeling. I pray to god you will get past this and continue writing amazing baseball material.
Good luck, Dave. If it helps, I hadn’t donated blood in a very long time, mostly due to forgetting/not making time. But I’ll do so this weekend.
Best of luck and hope. No one deserves what you have, and all who do have it, deserve to beat it.
Dave, like all the others here, I just wanted to wish you my best. Good luck with the treatment!
Truly sad. Trying to think of other words and have none. So much respect for all you’ve done and will do for baseball analysis. May your doctors be clutch.
I’ll be praying, Dave. Keep us updated.
Hope you can beat this and spend many more years drawing the ire of misinformed baseball fans.
“screw the data; I choose hope instead.” – Dave
“Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.” – Andy Dufresne.
Best wishes for a full and speedy defeat of this thing, Dave.
I don’t know you, Dave, and I’ve never met you, but I’ve been reading your writing for years. Reading your post was a gut punch. I’m not a religious man so I doubt you’d even want me to pray for you, but you will most certainly be in my thoughts today and going forward. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope to see your byline on these virtual pages soon.
Said what I’d want to say in words better than mine.
Best of luck, Dave. You’ll have a lot of people thinking about you.
I hope all these “get well” message make this the most commented on post in FanGraphs history. Good luck, Dave, and remember Jim Valvano’s declaration: “Cancer can take away all my physical abilities, but it cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul…and those three things are going to carry on forever.” Stay strong!
Best of Luck Dave
Dave – Truly sorry to hear about this. I’ve enjoyed your writing immensely since early USS Mariner days but that has little to do with it. Selfishly I want you to beat this like Edgar Martinez on a poorly located fastball so you can keep writing. But for yourself, your family and friends I sincerely hope your doctors, drugs and spirit will win. Best of luck.
Well that sucks. Best of luck with everything, forget “I’ll be praying for you”, I just stopped mid-post to pray!
Maybe after you beat this you can with the Tour de France? Or hang out with a shirtless Matthew McConaughey! Or throw a no-hitter!
Best of luck fighting this, Dave.
Good luck with this. You might want to read Stephen Jay Gould writing about his multiple meyeloma and odds, means, medians, etc.
Good luck with your treatment Dave. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Best wishes, Dave. You seem strong-willed enough to put up a hell of a fight.
Fuck you, Cancer
You have my prayers, Mr. Cameron. May the M’s go on an inspired 15 game WINNING streak for you!
Rooting for you Dave.
I read about this first on Hardball Talk and wanted to let you know I’ll be praying for you and look forward to reading more of your posts for many years to come.
Good luck man. It’s good to hear you have a positive outlook…that’s really the most important thing.
Memento mori. Embrace it, it’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever been given, and though you have very little control over how it turns out, you do have control over how you face it, and how you face your biggest troubles is what makes you who you are.
Good luck.
Cheers to hands-down the best baseball writer on the planet. Good luck!
What is this? Other than ridiculous and unfunny, I mean.
Best wishes Dave, this bizarre little niche of Sabermetrics has – oddly enough – changed my perspective and career path. By learning about the power of mathematics in relation to a hobby of mine, I’ve become more comfortable with mathematics as a whole. Now, an engineering major, I can attribute my new found love of mathematics to your brilliant writing and derivations. Get better soon, I’ll be praying for you and will be donating to St. Jude here in Memphis as my commitment.
Good luck Dave.
A year ago, my cousin who is about twice your age, Dave, was given three months to live. He’s about the same as he was then, making bad jokes and complaining about his mother (who is older than my mom). The odds say every batter but Barry Bonds will make an out each individual time they come to bat yet somehow in baseball runs score. For you, my friend, it’s Grand Salami time.
This is really upsetting to hear about Dave, and I hope you can get through it in good health as in the past year or so when I’ve become more and more into sabermetrics, you have become one of my favourite sportswriters. Stay strong and beat this thing; in the meantime I will miss your unique brand of analysis.
I hear Dave has a large sample size BABIP of .1000 so using those probabilities the cancer should get smashed harder than Stengel’s Mets.
Get better soon!
I know your heart was in the right place, but you meant “1.000” not “.1000”.
Best wishes and good luck. I really appreciate your work, thank you.
Looking forward to reading your work again soon!
Best wishes and God bless you and your family.
Best of luck to you in your recovery Dave, you are in my thoughts
Take care and be strong, Dave. I’ll be thinking about you.
I’ll be sending positive thoughts your way.
It’s funny because when I read the title, I figured it would be a post about RBI or Fielding %. Then I started reading and my heart just sank. I’m so sad right now, beyond words. You’ve gotta beat this Dave because you still have too much left to do like: grow old, watch the kids grow up, grow an awesome handlebar mustache like Eric Wedge, prepare you’re HoF induction speech…..Hang in there man
Get well soon, man. You are in my prayers.
Hope you get better. Though this article sucks. Considering statistics will have a meaningful impact on whether you die or not, probably you should choose another anecdote to talk about how statistics are useless. (I’m sure since you don’t use statistics you won’t write a will either. Or make any preparations in case of death. The same as if you were a healthy man in your mid-20s.)
Either way. I look forward to mocking your complete lack of knowledge of personal finance for years to come.
Do you have no class? He says he will ignore the statistics, but no where says they don’t mean anything. In a case like this, if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say it.
I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was suppose to give a fuck about someone I don’t know and don’t care about who’s only interest to me is to critique their poorly written articles.
Perhaps you should take your own advice and shut the fuck up? Or play the faux moral high ground. Whatever makes you happy.
PS: Learn to read before you “correct” me: “But really, those numbers do nothing for me.”
I’m going to now critique your use of the word ‘who’s’. ‘Who’s’ means ‘who is’; ‘whose’ is the possessive form of the word ‘who’. You meant ‘whose’, but you don’t know how to spell it, dumb fuck.
You have now accomplished your only purpose for me: to be an object of critique as an adult who would fail a middle-school grammar test.
Seriously do everyone a favor, leave this site and never come back.
He doesn’t say they don’t MEAN something though. Anyone with a brain should be able to understand it. He knows the odds are bad, and he chooses to ignore them.
And no one is forcing you to care about his situation. But that does not give you validation for attacking a man in a case like he is. Why do you see that as necessary?
Garrett, I’m not sure that talking to other people is really your thing.
But Garrett, and the guy calling himself Lew Kemia, and yesterday’s Hmmmmm, and others care enough to recognize an opportunity for attention.
Your callousness says nothing about Dave and the others here. It also says nothing about you to the FanGraphs community, as you have chosen anonymity for your little drive by.
I seriously wonder what you’re trying to prove to yourself by mocking a man who is facing decisions and life issues we all genuinely hope YOU never have to.
Perhaps our comments are merely self-serving, or grandstanding. Maybe offering a gesture of support to a guy facing a horrifying situation is meaningless beyond assuaging our own guilt as we try to feel good about ourselves.
What is it you’re trying to feel about yourself, Garrett?
The only thing lower than your class is your reading comprehension
“Considering statistics will have a meaningful impact on whether you die or not, probably you should choose another anecdote to talk about how statistics are useless.”
Outside of the decision-making of his doctors, which Dave talks about in the article, how do you figure they have a meaningful impact on whether he’ll survive? Not only is it classless to offer petty criticism for an article like this; you also completely missed the point.
Statistics don’t impact whether he’ll beat this thing. They’re great at projecting probabilities, but knowing the survival rate of his form of cancer has no impact on whether or not he’ll be one of the ones to beat the odds. Whether those odds are 80% or 20%, it doesn’t change Dave’s actions. He’ll prepare for the worst, I’m sure, and do everything he can to survive. A positive outlook, choosing hope over despair – those things can help boost the odds.
The statistics won’t impact the result of Dave’s fight; his fight will impact the statistics. Hopefully, it will be a data point in improving the survival rate of his form of cancer.
Perhaps you didn’t note that the success/failure of his doctors (and their decisions) is what his life hinges on. No amount of prayer to the Flying Spaghetti Monster is going to cure him. But science might have a chance.
nbd though. Cool narrative btw.
Do you feel tough behind that computer of yours?
The joke’s on you, it’s his parents’ computer.
F*ck cancer, Best of luck Dave! Have enjoyed reading you on USS Mariner for years now and everywhere else you have written since.
Another one praying for you and thinking about you. Awesome to see all the support on here.
It’s hard to think of much to say, other than I wish all the best for you and yours. Fight the good fight, Dave.
Damn…Dave, you have helped me to appreciate the game of baseball outside of the fantasy aspect of it. I feel like your a cult legend for the people that read your material. Not to sound selfish, but we need you here, and I know I won’t be getting used to you not being around for good.
When times get tough, take everything day by day and don’t get too far ahead of yourself. Keep God first, and if you ever feel like you want to give up pray for mercy and understanding, or think about your favorite Mariner and ask yourself would they give in during a tough time? I know the struggle isn’t the same, but the principal of rising up against adversity is. Don’t forget to be grateful for the life you’ve already lived. I barely know you from a can a paint, but the loss of your personality in even the short term is somewhat devastating to me.
Keep on pushin’ Dave, it’s GRIND SEASON man, don’t give up, it’s time to grind and we’re counting on you. Bottom of the 9th, world series, runners 2nd and 3rd, 2 outs, down 1, 3-2 count, *pats Dave on the back*, “We need you to pull us through, don’t be the last out, we’re counting on you”
Your perspective on this mirrors that of another math-orientated mind I respect going through a family case of cancer, Randall the author of XKCD. His take, “Statistics used to be my favorite branch of math because it had so many real life applications.” emphasis on past tense. Hopes and prayers go with you.
http://www.xkcd.com/881/
Good luck Dave — it’s been a real pleasure following your work and I look forward to reading much more from you.
Praying for you Dave. I have been following your work ever since someone posted a link to your analysis of the Jeremy Reed trade at the Mariners Scout board. You have made me a much better and more informed baseball fan.
May the same hope you have given me hope in the midst of multiple terrible Mariners seasons fill your heart.
Not only can you beat this. You will.
funny, but terrible
*additional generic get well wish*
Sorry to hear the news – I am saddened by this. Good luck – you’re in my thoughts and prayers.
Good luck, Dave. You’ll beat it.
Take care, best of luck to you and looking forward to many more of your posts.
Dave – good luck. I’m already an LLS supporter, due to my my Mom’s fight with lymphoma and my Grandma’s leukemia. The doctors are getting better and better, and the cures get better all the time. Have some confidence in your ability to beat this thing.
Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. You may have already seen it, but here’s a smart and optimistic article by S. J. Gould about cancer and statistics that might be interesting.
Wishing for the best for you and your family.
Go DC, go DC, go!
Best of luck for a full and speedy recovery. I’m signing up to donate blood and hope others here do so as well.
Best wishes and good luck!
Real brave, anonymously behind that computer, huh? You would never say this in person. Coward.
Best of luck Dave! You will come out on top!
Sometimes the words that are said are not as important as the fact that you say hem. It is in those times that you’re reminded of the most important things in life.
People do beat this thing Dave. There’s no reason why you can’t be one of those people. Your age is in your favor. You’ll be in my thoughts as you battle this thing.
Great post on a difficult personal issue. You are truly the captain of this ship. Best wishes towards a complete recovery and long life.
From an AML survivor (knocks on wood) to a future AML survivor; hang in there, own it, and remember, the bad-ass points you get from beating this are immense. 🙂
I hope you recover well, this website and your writing helped spark my love of baseball.
One of the best baseball writers out there. Best of luck.
Remember not to breathe shallowly. Good posture and deeper breathing will allow more oxygen into your body and speed the healing process along.
Medical cannabis is a godsend for nausea and chronic nagging pain. It might be worth considering getting a compassionate prescription if the chemo really f’s with your lifestyle. Stick with oral dosages (no smoking) if at all feasible.
Stay strong and confident. Doubt and negativity slow down the healing process. It’s all about the will to win, like Kirk Gibson in ’88 or Jack Morris in game 7 in ’91.
Dave, you are one of the main reasons why I come to this site, why I have such an interest in sabermetrics and have sparked me to write my own thoughts down and work them out pragmatically. I sincerely wish that you recover quickly, because thats the only question, when, not if. You will beat this. I’m looking forward to tweeting and chatting with you, and I promise to make it to the next FanGraphs Live event, wherever it may be.
For those of you who have not met Dave, he’s an all-around great guy and pleasant person. The world needs more Dave Camerons, but it can really use a speedy recovery for this one. Best of luck, Dave, you’re in our prayers.
Good luck Dave. I’ve always enjoy reading your stuff and will continue to do so while you battle it out! I hear Vladimir Shpunt is in need of a job…
You will beat this thing! My uncle has Leukemia right now too, but stay strong and positive and you will beat it!
Just win, Dave.
Mariners, well… you too.
I hope you’re BABIP breaks all of the models.
Kick ass and take no prisoners! Best of luck, Dave!
Dave, you’re in my prayers. I love reading this website, having a lot to do with your pieces. You’ve made my interest in sabermetrics hit an all time high. Keep battling
Best wishes, Dave! Get well and know that you’ve got a lot of support!
Best of luck & get well !
Words seem so inadequate at this moment, but please know that you’re very much in our prayers and thoughts Dave.
My thoughts are with you and your family during this tough time. I look forward to coming to fangraphs for years to come to read your article’s.
Here’s wishing you a speedy recovery Dave.
Praying for you daily. Good luck, and God bless!
Good luck Dave. We’ll be rooting for you.
I’m not even a Seattle fan and I really enjoy USS Mariner. Best of luck to you.
thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to you, your fam, the doctors and nurses that are trying to get you better.
and while my blood probably won’t make it cross country for you, I’m continuing to donate regularly.
Mr. Cameron,
Stay strong. The world needs those unafraid to express their opinion, with the wherewithall to influence others. Baseball and statistics may be an unimportant arena in the grand scope of things, but it is a diversion that brings pleasure to the lives of many people, and in that sense, cannot be considered anything but important to the welfare of society.
You are among the more influential writers in this arena, and we need you. I’m sure you will get much more heartfelt support from those that love you for other things, but don’t forget about us stat nerds. We’re rooting for you, too.
Sorry, to hear the bad news Dave. I have a little advice for you, since you are still a young man, you should strongly consider sperm cryopreservation, if you haven’t yet started chemo, as one of the possible side effects of chemotherapy is Azoospermia (the absence of sperm). Many hospitals or fertility clinics offer this service and some insurances do cover it and storage in circumstances such as yours.
If you are looking for more information here are a few good sources:
http://www.oncolink.org/coping/article.cfm?c=4&s=42&ss=90&id=992
http://www.livestrong.com/article/31637-effects-chemotherapy-male-sperm/
Get well soon! And keep on writing!
sorry for the run-on sentence.
Good luck in your battle with cancer Dave. I know you can do this.
Dave, so sorry to hear about your latest challenge. My prayers are with you to beat the odds. Good luck with the treatments.
Dave — longtime reader, mostly at U.S.S. Mariner, on and off, for commentary on the team from a dedicated fan.
First off, stay strong. There are many kinds of leukemia and some are more treatable than others. One of my friends went through it and has a clean bill of health years later. He and his then-girlfriend, later wife, went on to have a lovely little girl.
Second, I have no idea what course of treatment they plan on putting you through, but it tends to get harder toward the end if my uncle’s treatment for Hodgkins’ lymphoma is any indication.
Looking forward to many more columns here and elsewhere. Get well, soon.
Wow, I saw some of the tasteless comments and am surprised at the number of baseball fans with such misplaced oversized egos that they feel the need to stand out like a sore thumb with their insensitive, critical and worthless comments. What comes around goes around.
Dave
It is July 27tn and the Pittsburgh Pirates are, by the slighest percentage, in first place. Yes, anything is possible.
My you and your family have the strength to prevail.
A frequent reader, a very infrequent poster.
There’s a sad irony in the world where Dave has to deal with cancer and someone like you gets to live.
Frank: I know and agree with what you’re saying, but get this straight: DAVE”S WILL GET TO LIVE TO – A LONG AND HEALTHY LIFE. TAKE IT TO THE BANK.
Learn what irony means.
Hope the treatment goes well. All the best to you and your family.
Your writing has been a huge factor in revolutionizing baseball. You’re in my thoughts, and obviously many others. If the M’s beat my Yankees tonight, I will be content. For once, everyone who reads here (and we know that’s plenty of people) will be rooting for the same outcome. Your quick and healthy recovery.
really sorry to hear that dave. your writing has really enhanced the past few baseball seasons!
had a close colleague go thru cancer discovery a few years ago — like you a young non-smoker. I hope you can manage to enjoy each day. Once you turn over your treatment to the professionals, I don’t think there’s much more you can hope to control.
Fuck up AML like Milton Bradley fucks up a Gatorade cooler.
Good luck. Thanks for great writing you’ve given us, and I wish you the best in getting back to focusing on baseball, not health.
You and your family will be in my prayers.
My mid-70s grandfather is currently battling a rare form of leukemia as well and was given less than a year to live. Thus far, he seems to be kicking its ass and his life expectancy has increased. If the old guy can pull it off, you can too, Dave. I’m not one to pray, but you’re certainly in my thoughts. Here’s to hoping the chemo works out for you, man.
Stay positive and strong. You’re still young and have a lot to live for. We’re gonna need you in the SABR community going forward. Good luck and best wishes to you and your family.
Dave – you can beat this. Beyond your immediate family is the FanGraphs family that you’ve created here, and we’re all rooting for you do keep doing what you do best.
Good luck, and our thoughts are with you.
My prayers are with you as well. I hope you get better soon!
Also, as an aside, positive energy really does have results. As someone who has worked on a challenge course, I’ve seen firsthand how a group of people believing, encouraging and supporting another person can affect that person in a positive manner. And in my humble opinion, it does not have to do with religion.
I want to see you see the M’s win a World Series.
I want Dave around A LOT longer than that.
But is a 250 year lifespan really achievable?
I didn’t really need further incentive to root for the Mariners to kick Yankee butt … but let that be the first good thing to happen, with bigger things to follow.
Nobody give this imbecile the attention he’s looking for.
That was supposed to be a reply to the guy who said he was rooting for him to die, guess the post got deleted. Good.
Dave,
My thoughts and prayers are going out to you.
red floyd from Halos Heaven
Best of luck to you, Dave.
My dad had the same strain of leukemia about 7 years ago and he beat it like it was the 2003 Tigers!
Here’s betting on you to do the same!
When my mother was diagnosed with cancer they gave her a 50% chance of living a maximum of 2 years. That was 30 years ago and she’s alive and well and and still kicking butt. Keep the faith. Anything is possible.
I’ll be rooting for you.
I know everyone’s already said pretty much everything that can be said (twice, probably), but I’ll repeat it anyway: beat this thing, Dave. Beat it, beat it, beat it.
Dave,
Little while back my best friends mom had a form of Leukemia and was told to say goodbye to her children for her last time, 3 separate times, she still lives to this day some 7 years after beating it, fully healthy. This has taught me to never lose hope as you can always keep fighting. Get it done my man, be strong, never lose hope.
I’m a relatively new reader, but I’ve been learning a lot from your writings Dave. As a man of faith, I know you appreciate each prayer you get. Add one more to those praying for you. Kick some cancer ass!
Dave Cameron introduced me to sabremetrics, and taught me more about the objective study of baseball, and sports in general, than any other writer. I look forward to learning much more from this man in the future.
Just for nostalgia purposes, the first two posts I distinctively remember reading by Mr. Cameron:
http://www.ussmariner.com/2005/12/17/the-320-era/
http://www.ussmariner.com/2006/12/06/the-bad-deal/
I knew something was wrong when I heard about these moves, and Dave provided affirmation of my doubts, while giving me an objective, reasonable basis for my then-subjective emotions.
I don’t regularly read this, but I do offer my prayers. My mom was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma a few years ago, and, after an initial bout of despair, I’ve gotten a lot of comfort in reading about the progress being made with her cancer (and other blood/marrow cancers) every day. I hope you can find the same comfort, and I hope you kick this cancer’s a$$.
What terrible news. Keep up your positivity, Dave. I’ll be rooting for you.
Get better Dave!
Best of luck to you, Dave. May you have supportive friends, helpful nurses, and (should it strike your fancy) good pot.
When I was a kid my Dad was diagnosed with this terrible disease when he was about your age Dave and he ended up beating it, so I have no doubt that you will as well. Good luck and my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Best wishes Dave.
Dave, I can tell that you are more prepared for this than the average patient.
Here’s to living on the edge – of the bell curve.
God bless, Dave
Dave, I can’t begin to tell you how much you’ve opened my eyes beyond what I thought I knew about the game of baseball. Not only that but you’ve actually made me look at other life situations with a different eye as well. You have my sincere gratitude.
I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery. My thoughts are with you.
Good luck. My sister in laws sister recently beat it! Not an easy road, but easier with the support you have! Keep writing, it will make you happy.
Ben
Sorry to hear of the difficult news. May your results be encouraging. Keep up the good fight.
best of luck…i know this is a remarkably difficult time for you… but i think regardless of our partisan allegiances- we are all rooting for Team Cameron
Man, these comments are basically a rolodex of readers of the site.
Best of luck man.
Prayers and best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, Dave.
praying for you!
Dave,
Rangers fan here. I am going out of my way to root for the Mariners, even though it seems unnatural. Good luck man. We’re all here for you.
Good luck, Dave. You will beat this.
Dave, my prayers are with you and though i have no statistical evidence to prove their worth, i have faith and hope.
Dave,
Get well my man! Here’s pulling for a full recovery and looking forward to our next get together!
It’s the praying “magic” that some are mocking, not the poor guy who got hit with ugly cancer.
Prayer only works as a placebo – and, yes, there might be some effect from that, but the words greatest con artist ever (initials J.C.) from 2000 years ago, he sure ain’t gonna hear you. He’s dead and gone forever.
Best wishes and good luck to Dave and especially his family.
You know there is a time and a place to express your opinion, and a comment section like this sure the hell is not it.
If you don’t have Asperger’s syndrome and still choose to use a forum like this to express your opinion about the beliefs of others, then you need to take a long look at yourself and how you relate to other human beings.
I am sure that you and anyone else who would write anything other than a loving supportive message to Dave have your reasons to question the concept of faith or eternity, but this section is not about you so keep it to yourself.
If you have to say anything try to put yourself in the shoes of a guy who has never done anything but share his talents with you free of charge, and is now facing the fear, anger and sorrow of being hit with cancer in the prime of his life and write what you would want to hear if you were Dave.
What the hell happened Dave!! How old are you and what symptoms have you had? The health plan you have and the love you have in here should help as this cancer is beaten as most patients have complete recovery. Please fight this with all you got because I want to read more of you.
I hope those PED’s work miracles for you Dave. You’re the best and we’re all rooting for you.
Prayers and thoughts from a Mariner fan all the way from Australia.
I have been a big fan of yours for several years both here at Fangraphs and at U.S.S Mariner.
Please get better soon Dave.
Slats.
Dave,
My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family! This is coming from a Mariner fan in Australia.
I have been a big fan of yours for several years both here at Fangraphs and at U.S.S Mariner.
Please get better soon Dave.
Slats.
May the chemo be like Randy Johnson fastballs to the spring training birds of cancer.
*poof*
Best of luck (HR/FB, BABIP against).
We’re all rooting for you, Dave.
Stay strong, Dave.
“devastated” would be an exaggeration, but this news affected me far more than I thought it would considering I’ve never met you or directly interacted with you.
My sincere best wishes go out to you and your wife and I hope to see you writing about the ineptness of the Mariners offense for years to come.
Really enjoyed meeting you last summer, looking forward to many more.
Thoughts AND prayers are with you.
I’ve never donated anything from my body before, but you guys are talking me into it.
So sorry Dave. Stay strong and we are all pulling for you.
So sorry to hear of your illness. Best wishes and good luck.
Viel glueck!
If there’s anyone who deserves to beat this thing for the enlightenment and smiles he’s brought, it’s you Dave.
I know you’ll beat this, because you’re especially ‘clutch’ in situations like this! 😉
Sorry to hear that. Double whammy with you being a Mariners fan.
Look at it this way. It has been found that about 33% patients under the age of 65 years are cancer free after 5 years of diagnosis (depending on your chromosomal structure it could be as high as 70% and as low as 15%, but you probably know that) . So you are up at the plate with at least a 330 BA and a chance for a game winning or at least tying hit.
That’s better odds than a 200 BA hitter has anyways (hopefully).
BTW, don’t pay all that much attention to the numbers, medicine is not rocket science and this is still a relatively rare disease. Not everyone who gets it is free of other diseases, so many of the numbers you run across are subject to SSS limitations and other secondary factors (some unknown) that may lower survival. I would focus on the 70% rather than the lower numbers.
Tough road ahead for you whatever the outcome. Good luck.
Wish you the best and all the strength in the world.
Good luck sir. I wish you the best and know that a strong outlook really does help your body fight. So keep the chin up Dave and you will get through this.
Hopes and prayers are with you Dave.
Best wishes for a full recovery.
Really sorry to hear it, Dave. Best of luck, and stay positive!
Good luck Dave, my thoughts will be with you in this tough time. You’ll beat this!
Best of luck Dave
Prayers are with you Dave. Really enjoy your insight on the game I love.
You’ll be in my thoughts and prayers, Dave! Get well soon and battle this thing as hard as physically and mentally possible! If you believe it, it will happen.
Best wishes to you Dave
Dave – we’ve had our differences in the past, but as a cancer survivor, you have my best wishes as you face this. There are millions of us out here that have stared into the same mirror you are now, wondering what’s next, how you’ll handle this challenge. Any advice comes out as trite, but I will offer this: fight. Fight harder than you ever have and want it more than anything you have ever wanted. Hopefully this will go from being on the “DL” and get you back to “day to day”. Good luck.
You’ve been a huge inspiration to me and opened doors to countless amateur sabermetricians. I can say with a high degree of certainty that the field wouldn’t be where it is today without your contributions. Best of luck, fight hard, and I look forward to equal parts enjoyment and enlightenment in reading your posts for years to come.
Got choked up reading this (and then disgusted reading some of the comments). It’s been a while since I’ve given blood, so I’m going to do that this weekend. You’ll be in my thoughts as well. Get well soon.
As my favorite writer in the baseball world, I sincerely hope you pull through. The world would be a lesser place without you in it. All the best. I’ll be pulling for you.
We’re all wishing you the best of luck and (albeit selfishly) the quickest possible recovery so we can continue to read your fabulous work!
Obviously, this is tough news. You are in the thoughts and prayers of myself and my family.
I also wanted to commend you for even thinking about FanGraphs and us here who enjoy reading your work so much while you are going through treatment. If I was put in your situation I wish I could say I would do the same but, in reality, it would be the least of my worries.
You’ll beat this!
Oh, and here’s to the Mariners to the same to the Yankees tonight for you.
Modern medicine is a statistic we take for granted, 30-40 years ago AML was a death sentence. These days many, many people beat every form of leukemia and live long productive lives. I’m thinking you will beat this because you live in 2011 and not next door to Willie Mays when he played for the Giants. Much positive energy your way from all your fans.
i am pulling for the guy as much as anyone. but you don’t have to be religious to care about people. and secondly there have been studies about prayer for hospital patients. there was an extensive one that concluded that prayer did absolutely nothing. and why would it? it all depends on genetics and chance and the particular person. sending thoughts to a guy up in the sky doesn’t help. let’s be realistic AND HOPE he gets better without pretending like you are helping to benefit your own conscience. not only does prayer not help, the people prayed for actually were significantly worse off. which doesnt mean that prayer hurts obviously. it just means that it does nothing. i’m pullin for dave to come through. he’s a great writer and seems like a good guy. here’s the study http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2002901053_pray31.html
Thought it might be nice to keep up the positive comments so that this piece is always on the “recently commented” list.
Good luck Dave.
Good luck. Modern medicine has gotten pretty good about beating these things. The trend is upwards, so go with the trend.
Best of luck Dave. We’re all rooting for you!
Dave,
After hearing you speak in Long Beach a couple weeks ago, I would just like to add that I hope your cancer “dies in a fire.” (Mentioned by Dave to be a favorite expression he uses.)
You got this!
Dave,
you’ll be in my thoughts. Get better, man.
Just one bit of advice from someone who beat Cancer (tho not as nasty as Leukemia) Dont stop doing things, keep working as best you can, and most importantly start a long term project, start something that will take 5 years to finsih so that you are unable to die becase you have an important thing to finish. It sounds stupid I know, but so many ppl live into their 80’s retire and die soon after, give yourself a thing that makes it so that you cant die because you have things to finish.
One other thing a 1 in a 1000 chance doesnt mean you have to be the thousandth, remember .160 hitters sometimes get 5 hits in a row. You’ll be all good dude
Here’s a stat you can take to the bank.
Between 1990 and 2004, 5-year-survival rates for Acute Myeloid Leukaemia jumped by 85.7%. More recent stats indicate this trend has not abated.
That is not to say that 85.7% of people survive, but rather that the chances of survival have jumped BY 85.7%. Probably more by now.
Incidence rates have remained steady, as have the stage-at-presentation stats. So although it is still one of the most serious haemotopoietic cancers, advances in treatment are wholly responsible for the 85.7% rise.
Research over the last few decades means the treatment options you have available to you are absolutely world-class. Faith in prayer is important for many people. Faith in medicine is equally vital. Combine the two to give yourself the best possible chance to beat this sonofabitch.
Cheers
Shane
The positive attitude and mental strength you have shown thus far will serve you extremely well. Keep fighting. When you’re feeling down, keep in mind that this entire community is pulling for you.
I will keep you in my thoughts, and if my atheist ass ever starts to pray, I will pray for you as well.
Best of fortune with the fight, bro.
-tk
That’s why they play the games! Best Wishes.
Dave, I have followed you for years on USSM and I was very, very, very sorry to receive this news (even as eloquently as you delivered it). You have to beat this thing. Alan
By the number of comments here, you may never see this, but wanted you to know you have a fan in KC who’s in AML remission and pulling for you. As a fellow sports guy, I really enjoyed your take on the stats. What’s the point in being anything other than positive? When I was where you are in 2009, it was a while before I felt like catching up on correspondence. If you ever want to talk to someone who’s been there though, I’m game.
Dave, your posts are the reason I check FanGraphs @ work upwards of 50 times/day. Hoping for the best. My thoughts are with you, your friends and your family.
Good on ya, mate.
Hey Dave – Hope things get better sooner than later for you. You’re one of the best at what you do, and a great guy to boot. We’ll be thinking about you while we’re at the Dash game tonight..
Alan
I’m terribly sorry to hear this, Dave. We all value your contributions as a writer, as well as the entertainment your personality provides. Get well soon. We’re all pulling for you. Remember you have a band of nerds to turn to for support in this time of need.
All the best.
Awful thing to hear about. Best of luck Dave
So sorry for you Dave, best of wishes.
Get well. I really enjoy the site and wish you nothing but the best.
Sincerely,
Eric Jenike
Good Luck man.
Love your work and wishing you the best
Still thinking about you, man. Really hoping you’re doing okay and that things will work out in the best possible way.