Mark picked up his first cigarette as a teenager to fit in with friends. Life moved quickly and he continued to smoke until age 42, when doctors told him he had rectal cancer, one of many cancers that are linked to smoking. In this video from CDC's Tips From Former Smokers campaign, Mark talks about the harsh treatments he endured to save his life. Comments on this video are allowed in accordance with our comment policy: http://www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/CommentPolicy.html This video can also be viewed at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/videos/src/MARK_THE_RACE_WAS_ON_VIGNETTE_VCDC0255000H.mp4