How CAR T-Cell Therapy Helped This Veteran Beat Cancer Twice

Mark Daniels, an 83-year-old veteran and former fighter pilot, was shocked by his lymphoma diagnosis. He had always maintained physical fitness through running, weightlifting and rigorous military training, spending decades in top shape. His military experience, especially the discipline and physical demands of flying fighter jets, had taught him the importance of endurance, strength, and mental toughness.

Because of his healthy lifestyle, the cancer diagnosis came as a complete surprise; Daniels had no symptoms and felt fine, making the news difficult to accept.

He has since faced lymphoma twice and credits CAR T-cell therapy with saving his life.

Transcript

What was going through your mind when you were first diagnosed? How did you find strength during that time?

When I became a fighter pilot, staying in good shape was part of the recipe for success. Even though we wore G suits — which were supposed to help — you still had to be physically fit. We used the term “pull G’s” because, usually, they were positive G-forces. If you and I were in an aerial fight, it came down to who could turn tighter, who could hold it longer. It was very competitive.

That’s why I think our fighter pilots, and probably the Israeli fighter pilots too, are the cream of the crop. Because we practiced constantly. The way you get good — I'm sure you’ve heard the saying “iron sharpens iron” — is by going up against the best. Whether it's soccer or dogfighting, if you go against weaker people, you don’t have to be at your best. But when you go against the best, you not only have to be on your game, you learn from them. If they beat you, you get better. So, it was a constant competition.

Because of that, we stayed in shape. They taught us a method to go beyond what the G suit could do — called “grunt breathing.” You’d take a deep breath and squeeze every muscle you had. That tightened the muscles around your blood vessels, so when you pulled G’s, the blood wouldn’t drain from your head. If you didn’t do that, you’d gray out at 6 or 7 G’s. But if you did, you might last to 7 or 8. That could mean the difference between winning or losing.

So, I guess that was the culture I came from. And then, when I got into the airlines, the FAA required a physical every six months, a pretty rigorous one, including an EKG, because they didn’t want pilots flying with potential health issues.

I guess I took the long way around to say this, but my whole life, I’ve been oriented toward physical fitness. I was a, I don’t know if you’ve heard the term “gym rat,” but that was me. I was always as good or better than most people my age. I watched what I ate, I never smoked, I didn’t drink. When you feel healthy, truly healthy, running 40 miles a week, going to the gym three or four times a week, doing things with people 15 years younger and holding your own.

Then you go to the doctor, and he says, “You have cancer.”

It’s a total shock to your system.

You think, “No. This can’t be. I’m not sick. I don’t feel sick.”

So that’s probably what it was — a total shock and disbelief.

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