T.J. Sharpe

"I'll be surprised if he's here in two years."

That short prognosis – that matter-of-fact challenge by an initial (and soon-to-be-fired) oncologist – catapulted T.J. Sharpe into a 24-month roller coaster of uncertainty, resolve, and ultimate triumph over stage IV melanoma. The roadblocks facing the father of two young children to find the right treatment and get his initial clinical trial started are not uncommon in an ever-growing cancer world; his persistence in advocating for himself – and, in turn, patients and caregivers everywhere – reveals an uplifting story of finding one's purpose.

As the first-ever patient to try an immunotherapy therapy, the hope of finding a treatment that would allow him to see his young kids grow up was continually roadblocked by an industry dually focused on cutting-edge science and getting drugs to market as quickly as possible while often marginalizing their most valuable asset – the patients who need groundbreaking medicines to live longer, healthier, happier lives.

After five years in treatment and over a decade of speaking as an advocate, Sharpe illustrates handling home, life, family, and health adversity through his journey as a participant and a person – someone struggling to overcome not just the dismal odds of metastatic cancer, but the daily challenges every new parent faces with a young family. With humor, hope, and the perspective of someone motivated to outduel cancer. Sharpe motivates through an authenticity applicable to every medical and real-world challenge.