Roger Caplinger spent 33 years as the Medical Director for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 2017 he received the devastating news that he had pancreatic cancer. Today, he sits down with WTMJ’s Libby Collins to discuss his remarkable journey, what he learned from working with the Brewers, the revolutionary pancreatic cancer research being done in Milwaukee, and so much more. It’s all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations. Listen in the player above.
A partial transcript is provided below, courtesy of eCourt Reporters.
LIBBY COLLINS: Did continuing to work while you were going through chemo and radiation, do you think that helped you mentally —
ROGER CAPLINGER: Oh, absolutely.
LIBBY COLLINS: — in terms of —
ROGER CAPLINGER: Yeah, I think, you know, I didn’t want to go home and just have a pity party. That’s not me. That is not me. This happened for a reason, this is what we’re going to do. If people who have cancer, any form of cancer — granted, outcomes may be different, but if your attitude is that you’re going to crush this, it psychologically does help.
LIBBY COLLINS: Did you ever give up?
ROGER CAPLINGER: No.
LIBBY COLLINS: Say to yourself, oh, I can’t do this?
ROGER CAPLINGER: Never. You can’t tell yourself that. Life is way too precious
LIBBY COLLINS: What kept you going?
ROGER CAPLINGER: I think our family kept us going. I think the will to survive to beat this kept it going. I’m just not a quitter, I can’t. I’m not quitting.