Surviving, thriving, and reunion | The story of two UPMC Children's Hospital workers and their bond
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Today, I bring you an extraordinary story of surviving, thriving, and reunion.
It's the story of two young men and life-threatening ailments that brought them together not once but twice.
This story will leave you, like me, wondering what exactly are the odds.
For five months, Victor Flinko and Matt Kocher have worked together in the operating room at UPMC Children's Hospital. Victory is a nurse and Dr. Matt Kocher is an anesthesiologist.
One day, Dr. Kocher and another nurse, Alexis Mamros were chatting when a connection was made.
"He opened up about his cancer journey with me and he mentioned he had a friend during chemotherapy named Victor," Mamros said. "I remembered that Victor, my co-worker also went through a similar journey with cancer."
So Mamros paid a call to Victor.
"She called me and she asked me when I had my bone marrow transplant, I said 2005," Victor said.
That's when Mamros told Victor to meet them in the hall.
"I was just like 'no, no, this can't be the same Victor from 20 years ago, no way!'" Dr. Kocher thought as he realized a connection was right there.
"That's how we discovered they were actually friend back when they were in surgery," Mamros said.
Back on 8 North, the old children's hospital, as children, they battled leukemia at the same time. They both ended up having bone marrow transplants and their rooms were right next to each other.
Post-transplant leukemia means 72 days of isolation.
"When we were able to get out of the room and go into the playroom, we'd run into each other there," Dr. Kocher recalled.
"I remember that we went to Dave & Buster's together," Victor added.
Pictures of that outing to Dave & Buster's now adorn a bulletin board on the floor of Children's, Matt was 11 and Victor was 5.
It's been 20 years in remission for Victor.
The guys lost track over the years, through schooling and marriage for Matt, but the common experience of their youth drew them toward working in the medical field.
"I wanted to go into the medical field and have patient care, patient interaction, and really see the faces that I'm going to be changing," Dr. Kocher said.
"The people who took care of me were my role models, and that's what I aspired to become," said Victor.
Both of the boys feel that faith has also played a role.
"Clearly us getting cancer happened for a reason," Dr. Kocher said. "I think part of that reason is to help others in our situation to help them in their time of need."
"I'm grateful to be here, to help other kids who are sick, and bring the whole experience full circle," Victor said.
Victor said had it not been for Alexis's curiosity, they might have never put it together.
Both are doing well now, Victor's transplant was from an anonymous donor and Matt's came from his sister Kristina. Victor had a big of a tougher recovery but he's good now and purchased a home with the help of his brothers and dad fixing it up.
Matt and his wife Sandi are looking to purchase a home and start a family.
While he's fine, he said the leukemia is always in the back of his mind every time he gets since and he wonders.