Whites coach Mark Berry has cancer - ESPN

Updated: March 24, 2013, 5:42 PM ET GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Mark Berry's conversation along with his cousin Michelle may have saved his life. The Cincinnati Reds third base coach has been diagnosed with cancer on his tonsils and neck lymph nodes. The 50-year-old moved to Cincinnati on Wednesday to have a biopsy of his lymph nodes, that has been good. "I first noticed in early December. My tonsils swelled up," Berry said. "I hurt such as a cold or perhaps a influenza and I thought it was only that." After two weeks Berry did not get sick but the pain persisted. "Then initially of January, the lymph nodes within my neck felt like little marbles. Around mid-January I went along to visit a doctor," Berry said. "Cancer was the final thing on my mind. We were going to spring training. We'd an, nose and throat specialist analyzing us." The specialist conducting the spring training physicals recommended that Berry have two needle biopsies. One was pending and the other was bad. Berry had a discussion together with his sister, Michelle Gonzalez. His sister had the identical scenario 15 years earlier. "She explained not to be satisfied with the biopsies," Berry said. Whites team medical practitioner, Dr. Timothy Kremchek put Berry in touch with Dr. Corey Casper of the University of Cincinnati/Hutchinson Center Cancer Alliance. "Dr. Casper explained that he thought my tonsils," Berry said it originated. "Wednesday they got enough of the tonsil to check it. Affirmed, the check returned and it had been absolutely cancer." The health practitioners examined Berry from the waist as much as make sure the disease had not spread. He was told by them it absolutely was separated in his lymph nodes, making two treatments. One is to remove other lymph nodes and the two affected lymph nodes to find out whether there's cancer inside them. A second surgery to get rid of his tonsils will be executed. The other solution involves radiation for 35 consecutive days. "I have talked to as many individuals as I could. There have been a lot of people in football that have been through what I have been through," Berry said. "I haven't made the last decision yet. In any event, I am likely to be with the staff through the 30th. I am planning to travel with the group back once again to Cincinnati. I will make a decision and get some thing started through the first homestand." Berry, who has been doing the Reds firm for 30 years as a minor league manager, player and coach, told the group Sunday. The native of Oxnard, Calif., plans to remain with the team at the least for home games. He will miss some visits specially early in the season. Berry has been third base coach since 2003. The Reds haven't decided whether he will keep on because capacity or proceed to the counter on manager Dusty Baker's staff. "I told the team there is nothing to cover up or be embarrassed about. This can be a typical occurrence," Berry said. "If anyone really wants to talk about it, I would be pleased to do it. I'll share my story with anyone. It will help someone else that has symptoms. My cousin had it 15 years ago, and she's good. It absolutely was good to own her to lean on." Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

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