Interview with a Leukemia Survivor
Chad Juros, 19, resides in South Jersey USA. In 1991 at the age or three, Chad was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic. In 1995 he relapsed spending the next 17 months in the cancer ward of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Soon after Chad’s second recovery, his father died of a brain tumor. From his father’s dying wish, he started Spread the Magic Foundation which is a nonprofit organization that performs magic to patients with cancer.
Q: Why did you start the organization, Spread the Magic?
A: It was a dying wish and a living wish. My father taught me magic as I was living at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for 17 months straight treating for my cancer. Then my father collapsed and died of brain cancer. Before he died he made dying wishes for my sister, mom and I.
His wish for me was to "be considered cured and continue to spread the magic across the world in the hopes that everyone can find the magic in their life as I did".
In 2003, I had emergency brain surgery as a result of the 13 years of chemo and radiation. The neurosurgeons said I'd awake from the surgery either paralyzed or with a stroke. When I woke up deficit free I decided to make my dad's dying wish my living wish.
Q: How long did you have leukemia? How long has your cancer been in remission?
A: Since the age of 3. I'm the first child in the world to have lived from this experimental protocol since 1997.
Q: Does leukemia run in your family?
A: No, it’s not hereditary
Q: How did you find out you had leukemia?
A: Bone pain and night sweats…six weeks of misdiagnosis, blood tests.
Q What type of leukemia do you have?
A: Acute lymphoblastic, ALL.
Q: What kind of treatment have you received?
A: Chemotherapy and radiation.
Q: What was your first reaction when you first found out you had leukemia?
A: thought everyone else had it too, I just thought I treated on different days then them. Later I realized I was different.
Q: Since having cancer, how has your life changed?
A: I live each moment to the fullest and I don't sweat the small stuff, life is too short.
Q How did your family take it when they found out you had leukemia?
A: Devastated. Changed all of their lives forever and ever…some never recovered.
Q: Did you lose your hair? (if yes) how did you feel when you lost your hair?
A: Yes, four times. Didn't care. You learn real quickly what is important in life. Hair can be replaced, a life can't.
Q: What draws you to magic? What is the best part about performing it? What are your future plans with regards to magic?
A: Magic is my life. It’s a part of me. It’s like an addiction. The best part is seeing people smile and blowing them away plus the fact that there are so few magicians in the world, we are unique and different. I hope to have my own stage show either in Atlantic City or Las Vegas.
Q: In all of your travels and public appearances, who or what were you most excited to meet or do?
A: Performing on Lance Burton's stage at the Monte Carlo Hotel in Las Vegas to a sold out standing ovation crowd and for Mindfreak on A&E.
Q: According to your website, Spread the Magic, your organization states that it wants to start magic camps for cancer patients? How is that process going?
A: It isn't yet. We are performing for magic camps across the world, not just country, but we haven't been able to get to start our own yet due to financial reasons.
To find out more about Chad Juros or Spread the Magic visit (links to an external page): http://spreadthemagic.org/
