Advertisement He was 46 years old and felt fine, invigorated by a new exercise regimen and an improved diet. He was blessed with a loving family, good friends and business success.
"You have lymphoma," his doctor told him.
That diagnosis about 18 months ago launched Skoronski on a journey all too familiar to cancer patients, a journey of fear, hope, treatment decisions and medical procedures.
In Skoronski's case, his personal fight against cancer — successful, so far — left him wanting to fight the disease on a more basic level.
With a $1 million donation, he launched Forward Lymphoma to fund research at UW-Madison's Carbone Cancer Center.
His gift reflects a growing trend in research support built on gifts inspired by patients or their families who want to arm their doctors with stronger weapons. For example:
Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, is a particularly nasty disease that strikes in more than 40 different forms. Skoronski has follicular lymphoma, a slow-growing type that is treatable but not curable. His cancer is in remission.
Madison's the place
His search for treatment took him to the Mayo Clinic and Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee for second opinions. He ended up back in Madison in the hands of Dr. Brad Kahl and calls him "this unbelievably great doctor."
"This is the place," Skoronski said. "Every resource needed is right here."
He joined a clinical trial with the drug Rituxan, which involved intravenous treatments for a month.
"It wasn't bad and I've had excellent results," he said. He returns for exams every three months and scans every six months.
The drug trial also appealed to him because it would benefit other patients. He's learned that "lymphoma is a disease that's darn deadly. It's a nasty deal."
Thinking about the number of people touched by cancer, the talent of his doctors and his own good fortune in life, Skoronski decided he could "make a positive out of a negative.
"At the time I really thought I would make this donation and that would be it," he said. But he kept thinking about doing more and, with help from family and friends, has sponsored fundraisers and drawn gifts that have increased the fund, handled through the UW Foundation, to $1.6 million.
How does it feel for a doctor to receive $1 million from a patient?
"It's a little bit humbling, actually," Kahl said.
Forward Lymphoma is funding a three-pronged attack on the disease:
One benefit of the fund is bringing together laboratory scientists with physicians who treat patients. "We're using the Skoronski funds to really assemble a team that wasn't in existence before," Kahl said.
The money also allows researchers to pursue a promising idea and apply for grant support later, or abandon it if they hit a dead end.
"The money gives us a lot of flexibility, frankly," Kahl said.
'We're going to try'
Skoronski, who will be 48 this month, loves talking about the research team and says "we'' when describing their work.
But he insists he's not looking for a personal cure or expecting hard-and-fast answers in a short time.
"We're going to try," he said. "It sounds corny, but hope's a very powerful thing."
Research may lead to better treatment for lymphoma or unlock secrets of other cancers, he said, and he'll be "the happiest guy in the world'' if that happens.
He's planning other fundraisers and has organized a sold-out trip to the Green Bay Packers game Monday that will include his father, Bob Skoronski, an offensive tackle on the team from 1956 to 1968.
Organizations already exist that fund cancer research, of course, including the national Melanoma Research Foundation and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, with state and Madison chapters.
One lymphoma survivor who serves on the society's advisory board said there's plenty of room for everyone who wants to help.
"What it's going to take is everybody trying to work toward this end goal of finding a cure," said Diane Stojanovich, who was diagnosed with lymphoma a decade ago. "When you get down to life and death, you check the egos at the door."
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