South Florida Man Beats The Odds And Cancer

A South Florida man diagnosed with lung cancer was told he had 3 months to live.

Now 5 years later, Barry Kersner is all smiles and very much alive. Diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, Kersner said four oncologists all told him the same thing.

"That I had three months to live and I was not a candidate for surgery, I had three tumors," said Kersner.

Then one of Barry's many doctors said he may want to go to Mt. Sinai and see an oncologist there who may have something up his sleeve. And lucky for Barry the doctor did.

"I think he's done extraordinarily well," admitted Dr. Rogerio Lilebaum.

Lilebaum was part of a clinical trial for Avastin; a drug that was already approved for colon cancer patients but not yet for lung cancer patients. Kersner who was supposed to die in 3 months was put in the trial and 5 years later he's doing great.

For him it made a difference between life and death.

"I would not be here today. There's no question about it," said Kersner.

And there's no question it's been a hard run for Kersner's family.

"For my wife it's been tough. If it wasn't for her or him, Dr. Lilenbaum, I wouldn't be here today," admitted Kersner.

But now he's watching his grandson's 4-year-old Alex and 6-year-old Evan grow up. Evan was just one when Kersner was diagnosed with lung cancer.

"When he was an infant I had a little talk with him and I promised him I was going to be there for his wedding," said Kersner.

It wasn't just his family, the doctors or the Avastin that helped him through but one other thing - he always had hope.

"I try to give people hope. I can't do anything more than that," explained Kersner.

He beat the odds and it's his purpose in life to give others hope that they can too. But Kersner did have one more wish,

"That we can have another interview in a year from now, 2 years from now." Demos siad, "3, 4 and 5 years."

"Absolutely," said Kersner.

Kersner did have one setback in his treatment; he developed a medical issue and had to stop taking the Avastin. When he did, the cancer came back. But he says he's back on Avastin again and he will beat it one more time! Since the trial, Avastin has been approved by the FDA thanks in part to his participation. Incidentally the place he went to participate in that clinical trial that saved his life, Mt. Sinai, is the very place he was born.