Tom Norris

Living with multiple serious health conditions and chronic pain for more than 37 years has reshaped my life, dreams, and expectations in ways I never saw coming. The journey began when I was 35, after surgery and radiation for testicular cancer. Although the cancer treatment succeeded, its consequences quickly expanded into long-term physical limitations, reduced sleep, and changes in mobility, relationships, and daily routines. I must constantly stay aware of the pain’s impact and continually adapt, recalibrate, and problem-solve throughout each day. Over these thirty-seven years, I have pursued countless treatments in search of relief, only to find that many brought new complications, adding fresh emotional and physical burdens to an already heavy load.

This journey destroyed the life I once imagined. Yet it also created a new sense of purpose. It pushed me toward patient advocacy, peer support, and meaningful partnerships with researchers. The hard-earned lessons from living with chronic pain and complex conditions now guide my work to help others feel seen, respected, and included in decisions that shape their care. These conditions dramatically changed the course of my life, but they have not diminished my commitment to turn this struggle into something useful for others.