Company Blog

My Personal Kindest Thing

by Adam Zack — July 9, 2025

“…first wanted me to see a young plastic surgeon for a second opinion.”

So since last week’s blog I’ve been thinking a lot about the kindest thing that has ever been done for me. There’s been quite a few: My stepdad marrying a single woman with 3 young boys and taking on the responsibility of fathering them. My 8th grade teacher personally making sure that I was ready for the lessons that high school and life would bring. My mom really helping me out financially when the house we were buying was about to fall out of escrow because of a terrible lender.

But the biggest kindness has, much like the one last week, has come from a doctor. Many years ago I was diagnosed with a cancer in my leg called Sarcoma. The first doctor I saw wanted to cut my leg off. I was having none of that and was referred by a friend to a great surgeon in Los Angeles. He removed it. I recovered. Five years later, it came back. He removed it again. Five years later it came back again. He removed it a third time, but this time we did a series of 36 radiation treatments. It didn’t come back.

Fast forward to 2021, I got an infection in that leg. My lymphatic system, damaged by the radiation, didn’t work like it should. Biopsies wouldn’t heal. My leg was a mess. No one in San Diego could fix me. I went back to my surgeon in Los Angeles, who was leaning toward cutting the whole problem area out, but first wanted me to see a young plastic surgeon for a second opinion. Over the course of a couple years he treated me with experimental skin graft materials and weekly care. I think he looked at me as a far different case than most plastic surgery he did. He has been like a medical angel sent from heaven who accepted this challenge and would not be defeated. I inquired about the cost, as I knew my insurance would not pay a plastic surgeon. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. I get to see him again on July 31 for my quarterly checkup, where we will talk about our families and Formula One. He’ll clear me for at least another 3 months, maybe longer. And I won’t get a bill. I never have. Not one. Thank you Dr. Hussain for my greatest kindness.