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The Gift of Science

Mark Crafts in an orange shirt, silver helmet, black sunglasses, and electric-blue face-mask

Mark Crafts is a CONQUER.ORG contributor and a dedicated Conquer Cancer fundraiser.  

Brown Paper Packages tied up with strings... 

Few people would consider a box of chemotherapy medications a gift, but for Mark Crafts, simply being in treatment is among his favorite things this holiday season, because it means he is “still rolling and still climbing.”

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A photo of a large brown package.
Mark shared this picture of an at-home chemo box on his blog, Team Crafty Conquers Cancer.

“I am grateful for so many things as we start this new chapter in treatment,” said Mark. “My family, my friends, and our entire extended support circle of 'Team Crafty' are all at the top of the list.” 

Mark, who has been in treatment since his stage IV colorectal and liver cancer diagnosis in 2017 at age 54, will spend November and December receiving chemo infusions every two to three weeks. Since Mark began the cancer journey he often calls “Climbing Cancer Mountain,” he has been outspoken about the need for funding cancer research because he believes Cancer Research Saves Lives™. 

Mark was among the first patients in the United States to take part in an experimental treatment utilizing personalized Neo-Antigen T-cell Receptors (TCRs) to target solid tumors. And though he is no longer part of that clinical trial, he is happy to have left with “super cells.”  

“I like to think of them as the ultimate door prize,” says Mark.  

Mark and 'Team Crafty' have raised thousands of dollars for Conquer Cancer and are currently raising funds to endow a Trailblazers Merit Award, which will recognize cancer researchers working on solid tumor research. 

Mark considers each day – and each treatment made possible by science – a gift.