3rd base coach Mark Berry announces he has cancer | Cincinnati ...

GOODYEAR, Ariz. ? Reds third base coach Mark Berry told the team Sunday morning that he has been diagnosed with cancer, but expressed optimism that he will beat it.

?I have cancer,? Berry told reporters after the team meeting. ?I know it sounds bad, the word cancer, but there are plenty of people in this clubhouse that have had it and I know people around the game who have beaten it. My sister had it and beat it. That part hasn?t bothered me.?

The cancer is on his tonsil and two lymph nodes. Berry has been told the cancer is contained to the left side of his neck and has not spread anywhere else. He has yet to decide between surgery or radiation. He will stay with the team in Arizona over the next week before returning to Cincinnati with the team on Saturday. When he returns, he will have further tests to determine the next step of action. His role with the team going forward is undetermined, but he hopes to continue to stay with the team.

Berry said if he chooses to do radiation, it would be a seven-week treatment, five days a week. In that case, he would be with the team at home, but would not travel.

Reds medical director Timothy Kremchek said the cancer was detected relatively early and the prognosis is positive.

?We?re still waiting on one more test to determine exactly what the cancer is, we have a pretty good feeling about what it is,? Berry said. ?Just to put it out there, exactly what it is, we don?t know yet.?

Berry had a surgery on Wednesday in Cincinnati to take out part of his tonsil, and the cancer was diagnosed from that sample. He had previously had two needle biopsies in Scottsdale, with both of those returning negative results for cancer. However, his sister, Michelle Gonzales, had previously had a similar cancer and also had two needle biopsies that didn?t reveal the disease before later confirming it.

Berry, 50, is in his 30th year in the organization as a player, coach or manager. He has been on the team?s big league coaching staff for the last 15 years, the last 10 as the third base coach.

?I don?t want to down play it, but I?m not concerned,? Berry said. ?I?m going to beat it like lots of people in the game I know (have). They did their treatment and moved on. There?s people in the clubhouse right now that went through it. I don?t see any difference.?

? C. Trent Rosecrans

Posted in: News and notes

Tags: Mark Berry

Source: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2013/03/24/3rd-base-coach-mark-berry-announces-he-has-cancer/

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