Ethan Hawes: Cancer Survivor

In 2013 at the end of his junior year at the Maine Business School, Ethan Hawes was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable form of cancer that typically hits older people.

After battling through months of treatments, including hip surgery in 2013 and a stem cell transplant in 2014, he will graduate in May 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a concentration in international business. And cancer free.

During his nearly two-year ordeal, the Maine Business School became one of his strongest support systems, said Hawes, who grew up in Eliot, Maine.

“My professors took time to understand the seriousness of my condition and accommodate my needs when I’d have to miss class or couldn’t get a paper in on time,” he said. “Because of my chemotherapy, I often had trouble concentrating and retaining information. But my professors were happy to work with me. They not only wanted me to succeed academically, but were concerned about how I was doing physically and emotionally. And my classmates were incredible — everyone was thoughtful and caring, asking what I needed and helping me feel like a normal college student even though I had a cancer diagnosis that made me feel so different.”

How did your cancer diagnosis change you?
It completely changed my outlook on education — and life in general. I began to take more interest in my studies and became an active participant in class. When cancer hit me, I realized I wanted to make the most of my education — and all that life had to offer. It didn’t matter if I answered a question incorrectly. I was just grateful to be in the classroom and to be able to learn about business and the world.

Since the diagnosis, everything has moved so fast. It’s like I was hit by a tornado and I’m now picking up the debris. I have become a more compassionate person because I know what pain and suffering is. One of my biggest goals was just to continue with classes and make it through to graduation. Now that I have done that, I feel stronger and more confident: if I can do this, I can do anything! I am still trying to make sense of everything and understand this new person I have become. I finally feel like the old Ethan but with a new perspective and outlook on life.

What led to your diagnosis?
I was running a marathon in Madrid, Spain, in April, 2013, during my semester abroad, when I felt a shooting pain in my hip. It became progressively worse and by the time I got back home I could barely put any weight on it. After a tumor was discovered, I was sent to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for tests. I was initially diagnosed in July with a plasma cytoma, but a week later they found another tumor; so the diagnosis became multiple myeloma. Doctors told me that at age 22, I was one of the youngest people they had ever seen with the disease. According to statistics, the median age at diagnosis for multiple myeloma is 70 years of age. The percentages of people diagnosed with multiple myeloma based on age were 0.0 percent under age 20 and 0.6 percent between ages 20 and 34. It was like winning the lottery in the worst possible way.

In August 2013 I had radiation treatments that eradicated the tumor in my leg. From October 2013–May 2014 I underwent chemotherapy at Eastern Maine Medical Center.

How did you pursue your education and what kept you going?
After my diagnosis, my family and friends thought I should take time off from school. But doctors agreed with me that I should return to MBS in September 2013. Because my overall physical fitness was pretty good thanks to years of baseball, basketball and soccer, they thought I’d be able to tolerate the treatments. Although I was often tired, I was able to handle everything. I took a modified course load and was happy to be back at school to experience some normalcy. But inside I was grappling with a sense of disconnect and isolation.

I was determined to see this as a challenge and refused to let my diagnosis define me or defeat me. Of course there were days when I would question why this happened to me. During the bad times I would reach out to my friends and family who gave me unconditional love and support. I would look back on the cards, messages and words of encouragement they sent me. Knowing how much they cared always made me feel better. I couldn’t have done this without my family. My parents, who are University of Maine alumni, are grateful that their alma mater has cared for me in such a special way.

When did you become cancer-free?
I underwent stem cell surgery on June 23, 2014, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. I used my own stem cells so if the cancer returns I have the option of using a donor’s cells which is a much more aggressive procedure. My actual birthday is June 5, but June 23 is the day I became cancer free and it is a day I will always celebrate. After surgery I was in isolation for three weeks before returning home. One of the scariest moments was when I developed pneumonia a week later and had to return to the hospital. Finally, in mid-July I started the recovery process. I had no choice but to take off the fall 2014 semester. I was exhausted and could barely keep a conversation going. I needed a nap after walking up the stairs. Because of my weakened immune system, I had to wear a mask and gloves when I went outside the house. It was difficult to look at myself because I not only didn’t recognize me physically, I didn’t even feel like the same person. I honestly believed that I would be okay but I was worried about my mental and emotional side and wondered if I would ever really be able to come back.

Now what?
Returning to school in January 2015 was the best feeling in the world. I started exercising again and felt stronger every day. Although I’m in complete remission, I will undergo chemotherapy every couple of weeks for two years as a precaution. I am being checked frequently for my blood counts.

I have formed close relationships with faculty and students at MBS and been able to have a small-school experience while getting the benefits of a large university. Thanks to my study abroad experience and a marketing internship at the UMaine Department of Athletics, I feel confident that MBS has given me a great business foundation and the skills to embark upon a career.

I am looking forward to life after graduation and feel ready to venture out into the real world with confidence. I hope to pursue a career in hospitality management or in hospital administration and am considering some job offers.

What were some of your most inspiring moments during your battle with cancer?
On Oct. 13, 2013, I received a call from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a longstanding supporter of Dana-Farber. He had heard my story and wanted to extend his good wishes. He invited me to Gillette Stadium in Foxboro two days later where I got to shake his hand on the field just before the Patriots played the Miami Dolphins.

Also that October, a family friend from Eliot started a team in my name called Ethan’s E-Team, part of the annual Pan-Mass Challenge bike-a-thon that raises money for Dana-Farber. Before the race she presented me with a huge photo of my Pi Kappa Alpha brothers from UMaine wearing Ethan E-Team hats. It was great to walk around campus that year and see my fraternity brothers wearing my hat.

Another memorable moment occurred during a finance exam just before my stem cell transplant in June 2014. I looked around at my classmates and became emotional because I knew I was going into a potentially life threatening procedure. The uncertainty of the future was frightening. But being in a classroom made me feel safe and grateful to be a student at MBS. After the exam, Professor Pank Agrrawal gave me a hug and said, “You already passed the exam of life.” His words were so powerful. I’ll never forget them.

What can people learn from your experience?
Take one day at a time, appreciate every moment and don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s good to have goals, but ultimately, there is so much in life that we can’t control. Accept that challenges and obstacles are inevitable but also that the hardships and difficult times really do make you stronger and a better person overall.