ABSTRACT
An apprentice is variously defined as “one who is learning by practical experi-
ence under skilled workers, a trade, art, or calling; an inexperienced person; a
novice.” For me, the past 8 months have been an apprenticeship with cancer as
my teacher. Prior to that time I certainly was a novice and inexperienced on the
subject. Unfortunately, one result of the master teacher’s influence is that I have
become too skilled in the ways of cancer. Sometimes I wonder if cancer was
my true calling?
