x
Breaking News
More () »

'I feel like it's a gift to be here': Cleveland chiropractor shares his story of beating cancer

'It sends chills down my spine. This is really where I’m supposed to be!'

CLEVELAND — Discovering your purpose in life doesn’t always come easy, but when life is aligned properly things start to fall right into place.

“This is my purpose. My purpose is to actually help people with the use of my hands,” Dr. James Alberty said.

Dr. Alberty didn’t always know what his purpose was -- especially after being told at the age of 11 he only had six months to live having been diagnosed with a soft tissue cancer called epithelioid sarcoma.

“I had cist on my hands and it got to a point where the pain was just so severe."

Doctors suggested amputating his hand, but deep down inside Dr. Alberty knew that wasn’t the answer.

"It was just like, 'I don't want to do that.' If we can't closely guarantee that I'm going to make it, then I'd just rather live out the little bit of life that I have left as normal as possible."

With a couple of surgeries, Dr. Alberty lived to see his 16th birthday and beyond -- a miracle in itself.

"I’m beyond thankful. I'm beyond blessed. I feel like it’s a gift to be here, and I want to share that gift.”

RELATED: Cleveland fashion designer gets opportunity of a lifetime to create clothing for Cardi B: See the look

A gift that he now uses at his own practice -- known as The Link -- to change the lives of others every day.

“The irony is 'chiro' means the use of hands. 'Practic' means the use of. So the irony is I'm using my hands to help people.”

At The Link, they take healthcare to the next level, focusing on a multidisciplinary approach.

“I feel like it all just kind of came around full circle and tied together. They told me they wanted to amputate my hands. They told me I wouldn't be here. Now, I'm seeing hundreds of patients in a week, and I have these amazing success stories from my patients. I have to keep Kleenex on my table. There's a lot of tears of joy in this room."

The Link is located in Cleveland along E. 36th Street. CLICK HERE for more information.

MORE HEADLINES:

Before You Leave, Check This Out