Baseball Prospect Warns Kids of Dangers of Chewing Tobacco
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011[Begin Excerpt]
When he tried chewing tobacco for the first time at age 13, Gruen Von Behrens would change the course of his entire life.
In the space of four short years, the Illinois teenager would develop cancer of the mouth and undergo a series of painful surgeries and radiation treatments
Now a 33-year-old father of three and a motivational speaker, Von Behrens made an appearance at Ridgemont High School on March 24 as part of a speaking tour to highlight the dangerous reality of tobacco.
“I want the students to see how seriously tobacco has affected my life,” Von Behrens said.
At age 13, Von Behrens tried chewing tobacco for the first time and quickly got addicted. By the time he was 17, he was diagnosed with oral cancer.
His battle with cancer forced him to give up his dream of becoming a major league baseball player and to endure 40 painful surgeries, leaving him severely disfigured.
[End Excerpt]
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Source: www.ottawaregion.com