Steve shares his knowledge, experience, and wisdom to help better equip and empower your capacity to mount a robust and effective response to a serious challenge.

steveHOLMES

2 brothers diagnosed with the same aggressive terminal cancer and 6 months to live. 

“Steve survived, but Graeme did not. Steve’s survival became a modern-day medical breakthrough that provided a new doorway to how patients can better respond and survive a serious cancer diagnosis.”

Surviving stage 4 metastatic and terminal cancer is remarkable in itself, it attracts attention, and therein lays a new unexpected responsibility.

Cancer patients suffer a lot, that’s what it is to be a patient, so anything that I can do to alleviate that suffering is a good thing, a positive thing, a meaningful thing. Sharing my story, knowledge, experiences, and wisdom in the best way possible does exactly that, it helps make other patient’s lives more liveable and shines a light on what is possible.

cancer READY

I find a lot of patient suffering comes from not understanding things and the confusion and overwhelm that comes from that. So helping people understand their diagnosis and options is a good start to improving their survival chances.

I have also learned the advantages of becoming cancer-ready, just as CPR awareness and basic knowledge can improve survival rates.

steveHOLMES

2 brothers diagnosed with the same aggressive terminal cancer and 6 months to live. 

“Steve survived, but Graeme did not. Steve’s survival became part of a modern-day medical breakthrough, providing a new pathway for how patients can better respond to and survive a serious cancer diagnosis.”

Surviving stage 4 metastatic and terminal cancer is remarkable in itself, it attracts attention, and therein lays a new unexpected responsibility.

Cancer patients suffer a lot, that’s what it is to be a patient, so anything that I can do to alleviate that suffering is a good thing, a positive thing, a meaningful thing. Sharing my story, knowledge, experiences, and wisdom in the best way possible does exactly that, it helps make other patient’s lives more liveable and shines a light on what is possible.

cancerREADY

I find a lot of patient suffering comes from not understanding things and the confusion and overwhelm that comes from that. So helping people understand their diagnosis and options is a good start to improving their survival chances.

I have also learned the advantages of becoming cancer-ready, just as CPR awareness and basic knowledge can improve survival rates.

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I am currently cycling the equivalent of Australia’s coastline to raise funding for the development and delivery of Free Patient Navigator Journals. Imagine pedaling the entire coastline of Australia – that’s 14,000 kms. Ouch! It’s a pretty challenging effort, but one with a purpose far greater than the distance.

UPDATE: I am now at 6150 km approaching Broome in WA

Bold Deliberation and Persistent Creativity

When Responding to Cancer, we must act with bold deliberation and persistent creativity, be open-minded, and act with unrestricted willingness. These are the attributes that drive the perseverance and endurance needed to flip cancer on its head and break its grip.

Inner Will and Freedom

We all have the ‘Inner Will’ and ‘Freedom’ to choose these innate attributes at any moment; it is up to us—it is an indisputable right that only we can relinquish.

Shifting Perceptions: Changing the Angle of Attack

Cancer arrives wrapped in reputation – We can not control that we have cancer but we can control how we look at it – we can look through its reputational wrapping to see it as it is, not as we fear it is. We can perform a mental flip to see deep into its underside, its weakness, and our opportunity. It is then that we are ready to act and to respond on our terms.

Leading with Responsibility

As a patient, we must look to become part of the solution not just a mere passenger. We must help those who help us even in our darkest moments, we must lead with this responsibility, to lead is to inspire ourselves and those who rally around to support our effort. Taking full responsibility creates positivity in itself it helps us to rise above what we thought possible and our previous best.

The Role of Medical Professionals

It does not matter whether we are a naive patient or skilled experienced medical professionals, it is the same responsibility, we must remain proactive and part of the solution. However, those with medical expertise have a heightened duty to this responsibility – like an athlete they must be ever vigilant to this responsibility both physically and mentally sharp – that is the responsibility they carry to the patients in their care.

The Transformational Power of Character and Perseverance

We must all surround ourselves with remarkable and resourceful people of great character. People of great character and perseverance embrace and navigate the obstacles of life and cancer, revealing previously unseen possibilities and paths. The world continues to be transformed by these people. Persistence and perseverance, are often the true champions of perceived genius.

Embracing the obstacle to see the Possibilities

Therefore when confronted with obstacles that cannot be moved or overcome, then simply go around. This is how as cancer patients we must think.

We must free and feed our minds to reveal new possibilities – a new way. I have always placed great value in the following: Be a little unrealistic often, feed the dreams whatever they may be or become – feed their fictions, give them life.

Fiction is a spark to a new flame – Fiction always proceeds its Reality. We must give life to our fiction to unleash its potential reality. The Definition of Fiction; “Something imagined – a story not yet real” – ‘NOT YET!’

As obscure and devoid of logic as this may appear, that was my thinking pathway – it invited and welcomed in ‘thoughts’ I could never have known or planned to know. Just as thoughts are things, thinking makes them so -this has been my path.

It takes practice to own your own thoughts, to give them life, and to ensure their survival. This is how I crossed and survived an ocean of other people’s realities. Realities that would have had me buried before I had drawn my last breath.

My reality is mine and your reality is yours – therein lays a critical distinction in how we live the opportunity that life equally provides us.

Who I am 

My Story

From healthy cyclist to terminal cancer patient with just days to live, then back to cycling 400kms per week, and pioneering a new integrated patient-led era in cancer response.

One moment I was fit, healthy, and cycling, the next, I was battling terminal cancer. A routine Saturday morning coffee ride turned into a fight for my life when I was diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma and given just six months to live.

As it transpired, my passion for cycling carved out a path through decisions and connections that ultimately saved my life. I endured 25 hours of multi-organ surgeries, including a major aneurysm, and 2.5 years of intense drug infusions. A last-minute ‘Hail Mary’ pass from my oncologist, Matthew Burge, involving a highly speculative experimental drug trial, Keynote 158, flipped my certain death on its head. Against all odds, with no evidence or proof of success, and weeks if not days to live, I caught Matt’s pass, scored a touchdown in just three days, and by the ninth week made history by achieving a ‘full and complete’ response—a feat never before achieved from such a late-stage, stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma setting.

With Claire’s help, I had defied the impossible, flipping ‘Cholangio’ on its head to record a historic medical milestone – a dynamic ‘full-and-complete-response’ something never before achieved from such a late-stage setting.

Another moment in time

Being informed of my full and complete response — No Evidence of Disease (NED) — was profoundly moving, a moment beyond words, yet it steered Claire and me towards the path we now follow.

A Graduating Moment

As the scan loaded on Matt’s computer screen, time once again stood still. All I could manage to ask was, ‘Where are they?’ His reply, simple yet profound, ‘That’s just it, Steve. They’re gone.’ My mind and eyes struggled to process the magnitude of his words. ‘So, what now?’ I asked, still in disbelief.

And so another moment in life that felt akin to a graduation speech, my oncologist, Matt, offered a few transformational words of wisdom: “There are many that we help a little and some we help a lot, and then there is you.” Go out there and ride your bike and do something special with the opportunity you have been given – see you in 3 weeks –

Where to Next?

My unlikely survival became an unexpected responsibility. Claire and I decided to dedicate ourselves to transforming patient outcomes, we knew we could help today’s patients understand and more fully utilize today’s science and medical options. Our guiding rule became: Empower the Patient – Increase Survival; Empower their community – Exponentially Increase Survivorship.

We both understood that the key to success lay in developing a process that not only integrated patients’ innate resilience attributes with established healthcare practices but also incorporated the latest medical science and best practices. This process needed to be meticulously structured to align and synchronize patients, their medical teams, and supporters effectively. Crucially, it had to enhance the quality of engagement by all involved and significantly improve the patient’s capacity to respond and survive.

So we began building what we called an optimal cancer response process, then started a foundation, and are now taking this forward from the reactive response setting to the proactive ready position to help workplace environments become part of the solution. A strategy that shifts the battle from the bottom of the cliff to the top.

Cancer Diagnosis Details

  • Stage 2b Extrahepatic – Distal

Surgeries (25 hours total)

Whipple Multi-Organ Removal
  • Bile duct 95%
  • Gallbladder 100% (Cholecystectomy)
  • Stomach 80% (Gastrectomy)
  • Pancreas 33% (Pancreatectomy)
  • Duodenum 100% (Small Intestine )
  • 2 local lymph nodes
Surgical Complications
  • Substantial Wound Infections: 5 Weeks VacPac Pump
  • Emergency Aneurysm 1-month post-op: Main Hepatic Artery terminated
Clinical Trials
Attica: Dual Chemo
  • 6-month Chemo, weekly infusions (12 hr days) not well tolerated
  •  2 year follow up
  • At 5.5 months, I experienced a prolific metastatic breakout
  • Mets Description: Large multiple tumors under my right rib cage, across the top of my liver, and both lungs – (too many to count.) Breathing became labored with every breath, and sitting became increasingly difficult.
  • Diagnosis – late-stage, Stage 4
  • Estimated weeks to days to live
Keynote 158 (Aug 2017): Immunotherapy

Hail-Mary Pass of Last Resort

  • 3 weekly infusions
  • Response – Day 3
  • Severe Cytokine Release – CRS Level > 3+: Day 4 to Day 12
  • Complete & Full & Response – officiated at 9 Week Scan
Biomarkers
  • PDL1
  • MSI-High
  • dMMR MSH1 – PMS2
  • Most likely TMB-High

I learned through hard, harsh experiences that often my only option was to keep leaning into life, hence my saying, ‘Lean into life, or life will surely lean back even harder.’ Additionally, I embraced the mantra ‘Eat Lite – Move Lite – Live Light, Be Open – Be Willing Without Restriction and Be Creatively Persistent.’ I realized that both are processes; I simply had to become aware of that.

What I Do 

I develop patient-integrated response processes, solutions, and strategies for newly diagnosed patients, along with their medical teams and supporters. This work is carried out through key areas aimed at significantly improving today’s patient outcomes.

Translating My Success into a Process for Others

ICU hospital beds sparked the initial motivation, and later on, cycling offered introspection, vision, and served as a transformative workshop to expand what had been learned. Recognizing the need for a structured process that integrates seamlessly with established healthcare practices became essential.

My journey through multiple surgeries, clinical trials, emergencies, and near-death experiences not only provided a wealth of challenging, lived experiences but also offered extremely unique insights into cutting-edge science and human resilience attributes. These insights are crucial for enhancing both patient and industry outcomes.

Cancer has been a very deep challenge. Equally deep has been the challenge of separating and distilling the lessons learned from within the emotional cocoons that carried them, but it became clear that the emotional cocoons were themselves part of the lesson.

Why Cycling? Because I Can – Cancer took it from me, but I have taken it back. Cycling like life requires the disciplines of persistence and perseverance, it grounds my effort and keeps me connected to the opportunity—life

OCRP:

The Optimal Cancer Response Process: An initiative that goes beyond mere patient involvement by implementing a higher level of integration. It represents a comprehensive fusion of medical science, evidence-based medicine, best practices, and human resilience capabilities, marking a fundamental shift in perception and action when responding to a cancer diagnosis.

A Crucial Gap: Medical Professionals and Healthcare System excel in diagnosing and treating but are not as adept in preparing patients for the substantial challenge of cancer beyond that point.

The Response: The Optimal Cancer Response Process (OCRP) was developed in response to this crucial gap. It represents a paradigm shift from a strategy focused solely on medical care to a more comprehensive approach that integrates both medical expertise and patient-driven strategies into the process—a medical and patient-integrated response strategy.

Simplification Increases Understanding and Engagement: OCRP simplifies and distills the complexities of medical science and evidence-based medicine, integrating these with best practices. By incorporating essential human resilience attributes—such as objectivity, perception, action, and willpower—into a more comprehensive response process, OCRP fosters a deeper understanding and engagement among patients.

Dismantle The Challenge: This process-driven approach systematically dismantles the diagnosis, breaking the challenge into manageable steps. It better equips patients to become co-pilots in their own treatment, fundamentally shifting the initial focus from mere care to an active response.

Closing The Gap: OCRP serves as the cornerstone of my approach for all disease types, bridging the critical gap between the successes of early detection initiatives and the persistently dire statistics associated with late-stage diagnosis.

In Summary: The OCRP initiative transcends mere patient involvement; it represents a higher level of integration. This initiative is a comprehensive fusion of science, specifically medical science and evidence-based medicine, best practices, and human resilience capabilities, marking a fundamental shift in both perception and action in responding to a cancer diagnosis.

Cholangio

The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation Australia is patient-led and positioned to provide patient-integrated support, response solutions, and education to patients, their medical teams, supporters and the industry that serves them.

Leadership: Founded and led by myself and Claire, who serves as the Head of Operations, I take on the roles of Managing Director and Chief Executive. Together, we drive forward our commitment to pioneering patient-led initiatives tailored for those affected by Cholangiocarcinoma.

Methodology: The Foundation adopts a patient-led and integrated approach, merging innate human resilience attributes with the latest medical science and established healthcare practices. This fusion creates a comprehensive response process designed to better equip and support Cholangiocarcinoma patients, their medical teams, and supporters.

Impact: Our foundation goes beyond providing response solutions. We offer extensive support and education, contributing significantly to advancements in medical science, healthcare, and industry practices.

Patient-Led Pillars:

  • Empower The Patient – Increase Survival: Empower and align their supporters – Exponentially increase survival.
  • Educate, Equip, Empower: Better equip and empower the patient’s capacity to more effectively respond and survive a cholangiocarcinoma diagnosis.
  • Today’s Science For Today’s Patient Survival: Ensure today’s scientific advancements are fully utilized for today’s patient toolkit and survival.

The Foundations North Star: Empower the Patient – Increase Survival; Empower their community – Exponentially Increase Survivorship. Click here for a bullet-point overview of Cholangiocarcinoma.

cancerREADY

An extension of the OCRP principles, the cancerREADY initiative is proactively positioned to provide readiness, response, and support solutions in the workplace before they are needed. This strategic approach enhances early detection efforts and actively counters the risks associated with late-stage cancer diagnoses.

Beyond Foundation Efforts: cancerREADY Workplaces – Cancer’s CPR:

Leveraging the foundation laid by the Optimal Cancer Response Process (OCRP), cancerREADY Workplaces aim to proactively mitigate the stark contrast between the success of early detection initiatives and the dire outcomes associated with late-stage cancer diagnoses. This initiative is not just about readiness; it’s about transforming workplace environments into proactive arenas of support and resilience, akin to cancer’s version of ‘CPR’. By providing readiness, response, and support solutions before they’re needed, we’re directly addressing this crucial gap. Extending the patient-led response philosophy beyond the clinic, cancerREADY Workplaces foster a societal infrastructure that champions early detection, readiness, and effective response strategies. This effort is central to our mission of transforming how society confronts cancer, making every workplace a key player in the collective fight against this challenge.

Update: Significant Breakthrough

Summarizing My thoughts

Empowerment Requires Unrestricted Willingness:

My journey is rooted in the belief that empowerment is the key to transformation. By empowering both the patient and caregiver, we’re not just providing a path and tools; we’re offering a new perspective on how to respond to cancer. Viewing the diagnosis for what it truly is—rather than what is feared—positions individuals to actively engage in a structured process that dismantles the cancer challenge into manageable steps.

Providing a systematic methodical approach fosters an ordered mindset, pivotal for endurance and perseverance. It aligns perceptions with actions, emphasizing the importance of each step in the journey rather than fixating solely on the outcome. It’s a strategy designed to reduce harmful distractions and maximize empowerment as each step seamlessly follows the next. This process-driven approach is soothing providing the clarity and resilience needed to respond and succeed

The Essence of My Contribution

What I undertake today is the embodiment of that “something special” Dr Matthew Burge referred to when he informed me I was NED. Contributing to the empowerment of others, offering them the tools and knowledge to face their battles, stands as the ultimate reward and purpose of my efforts – a heartfelt thank you to Matt.

I sincerely hope that my personal experiences can drive and shape innovation and change in healthcare, that improves patient outcomes by today’s measure.

The future of CANCER

Empower the patient – Increase Survival: Empower their entire support community – Exponentially Increase Survival – Is that too simplistic? 

The Empowered Patient stands uniquely positioned and equipped to understand, engage, and ultimately succeed. They hold the power to influence and reshape both science and healthcare, leading to increased survivorship and reducing financial burdens both privately and publicly. This approach is a common-sense strategy, effectively bridging the critical gap between the success of early detection and the dire statistics associated with late-stage diagnoses.

Guiding Thoughts

RealityCheck

HEALTHY PEOPLE GET CANCER TOO; We are all healthy until we are not.

None of us can predict when we might face a cancer diagnosis. Even healthy individuals, including doctors, nurses, and scientists, are not immune. That’s why being well-equipped with knowledge and resources (The Cancer CPR) becomes a crucial factor and advantage if we are ever unexpectedly diagnosed with a serious cancer.

Life, Science,and Certainty

There is nothing in life or the science of life that is not vulnerable to being knocked off its precarious pedestal of certainty. The only certainty in life is that there is no certainty, just obstacles and their possibilities. Therefore, the opportunity within life is to see the possibilities within the obstacles and then set about making them our reality.

It is our Choice

When you believe in cancer’s reputation more than you believe in your ability to respond and overcome it – which will triumph?

Changing the Angle of Attack

Shifting Perceptions: Changing the Angle of Attack

To succeed over cancer is to dismantle the diagnosis, to strip it of its reputational packaging, to see it as it really is, not as you fear it is. It is only then that you will be ready to effectively respond.
Follow the Process: The Process methodically breaks the cancer down into small, winnable pieces. It keeps you focused on conquering each step in front of you now – today, removing the disempowering distractions posed by the enormity of the challenge. One step seamlessly follows the next wearing down the cancer’s defences until they are no more – until cancer is no more.

Shifting Perceptions:

Seeing through the reputational packaging of cancer, peering past the packaging to its center to uncover its vulnerabilities and your opportunities and possibilities at its core. If you don’t look, you won’t see!”

I Have Cancer I Am Going to Die

A crucial distinction: “I Have Cancer” is an objective fact. In contrast, “I Am Going to Die” is very subjective, a borrowed opinion, not a fact. It does not factor in the capacity of a well ‘Equipped and Empowered Patient.’

When diagnosed, it’s critical to see a cancer diagnosis as it is, not as you fear it is; being diagnosed is just a position, not a fate. This clear view unleashes your courage to act on what’s controllable and accept what isn’t. That is when you’re truly ready to respond.

You must quickly move to accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can control and change, and possess the wisdom to know the difference. You cannot control that you have cancer, but you can control how you will respond.

Shakespeare said, ‘Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’ Our perception and the stories we tell ourselves determine whether it’s a good story, a bad story, or no story at all.

I recall Theodore Roosevelt’s words, “We must all wear out or rust out.” I choose to wear out. This mindset powered my response when given just weeks to live.

All this is simple, but not easy. It takes practice, persistence, perseverance, and a disciplined focus that comes from taking full responsibility. We as patients must think differently, we must have creative persistence and we must hold our poise and grace – our nerve.

To repeat how I began this page: We must Act with Deliberation, Boldness, and Persistent Creativity: We all have the ‘Inner Will‘ and ‘Freedom‘ to choose these innate attributes at any moment, it is up to us – it is an indisputable right that only we can relinquish. ~ All the best, Steve

My Challenge

Separating the lessons learned from the emotions that encapsulated them has been a significant challenge. Initially, I sought to detach them for clearer communication. Yet, I realized that these emotions are not just carriers, but integral components of the lessons themselves. My challenge now lies in sharing these intertwined experiences in a way that offers tangible benefits

ContactME

For more information please contact me
Warm Regards Steve

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