Childhood Cancer Survivor Thankful for Lasting Impacts

"Cancer taught me that tomorrow isn't promised, and that we can't control everything, but we can choose how we respond," said Northern Michigan University student Caleb Bell, reflecting on his T-cell lymphoma diagnosis at age 12. The Marquette native endured chemo, open-heart surgery and other challenges over two years, but achieved survivor status and even played club hockey his freshman year at NMU. He continues to support the "Stick It to Cancer" hockey fundraiser first organized on his behalf, and he is exploring opportunities to share his story in the hope of inspiring children currently coping with the disease.

"I'd love to do some speaking for childhood cancer organizations because, when I was sick, it was hard to see the light," he said. "When you're fighting one day at a time, you can't really tell that you're going to get out of it. I was a healthy kid before going into the hospital, so I realized pretty quickly I wasn't invincible, and that anything can change. Obviously I don't wish cancer on anyone, but knowing the outcome made me focus on how I can make each day count, and gave me a new perspective and level of gratitude that most people my age probably don't have.

"As an example, I had no strength in my legs when I was sick. Gaining that back made me thankful just to be able to get out of bed in the morning, walk upstairs and get into a car. Something I'm really passionate about sharing with sick kids and their parents is to find the good in each day, and turn the negatives into positives. I'm actually super thankful for going through what I did, given the outcome, because I began to view life through a whole new lens that made me more appreciative of the little things others may take for granted."

In his youth, Bell attended two camps for children with cancer. He encourages kids to take advantage of such opportunities to realize they are not alone in their health struggles, and to enjoy the camaraderie with other campers, support from staff and engaging activities.

The "Stick It to Cancer" fundraiser organized eight years ago to help Bell's family cover travel costs and other expenses related to his treatment continues as an annual benefit for others. He played in this fall's game, which raised about $10,000 for Cancer Care of Marquette. Bell said he never dreamed it would be possible to return to the ice after treatment, but he courageously pursued a spot on the NMU club hockey team his freshman year.

"I sat down with the coach of NMU's club team, who was actually my little brother's junior hockey coach," said Bell, the oldest of four kids in his family. "I asked if there was any way I could practice, with no commitment on his end. If he thought I was good enough, maybe I could try and play. But if not, then no harm, no foul. He invited me for a skate and it went well. I practiced with them for a couple weeks and then he gave me a jersey and away we went. I didn't play a ton at the beginning of the year, but I was playing multiple shifts by the end of the year. That was awesome."

The financial management major had to give up the club sport this season, only because of his packed schedule with school and work. After a summer internship at an Indianapolis financial planning firm, Bell was invited to continue working remotely 20-30 hours per week through this academic year.

"My dad pays for my school, so I want to be respectful of his money and not let my good grades start to slip by being pulled in too many directions," Bell said. "I also want to be respectful of the firm's requested time commitment because obviously that work is tied to my future career. I'm still friends with the hockey guys and I've been in contact with my coach. I'll most likely return to the team next season, but I wanted to make sure I had all my ducks in a row this year."

In his role as an analyst, Bell creates individualized retirement plans for clients based on their income and assets, expenses and goals. He sends each plan to an adviser, who reviews it and then presents it to the client. Bell said his NMU education prepared him well for the summer internship that morphed into an extended opportunity.

"It helped 100% by developing soft skills like time management and speaking to people professionally, along with the business principles I learned in my classes that relay back to my general understanding. I also enjoy talking to several business professors because they give great advice and are a valuable resource. All of that made a huge difference in my going to Indianapolis, being in a corporate workplace and understanding the background of the firm a bit. They're big into childhood cancer awareness, by the way, so it's a good fit."

Bell said he approaches every day as a gift, and tries to make the most of it.