HomePatientsMesothelioma TestimonialsSam D. Schwartz

Sam D. Schwartz was born to a relatively poor family in Chicago and lived in Rockford, Illinois. They did not have their own bathroom and he grew up never experiencing what it was like to have a hot shower while living in a cold water flat. Early on in life, Sam realized that this was not the life he wanted. It would mean he would have to work hard and smart. After High School, He got a scholarship and grants and graduated from New York University, Stern School of Business with Distinction, (BS), Columbia Pacific Business, (MA/MBA) and the New York Institute of Finance. He held different part time jobs while in college, including selling women’s shoes and doing bookkeeping for a garment manufacturer. Sam started his professional career working as a management trainee for Chesbrough- Ponds, a Fortune 500 Company in New York City where in two years he became one of the youngest executive trainees to achieve management status. After serving in the U.S Army as a medic, he was stationed in San Antonio Texas and worked at Brooke Army Hospital. Sam founded Kaliber Management Corporation (KMC) in 1970. KMC was organized as a 1940 Act SEC registered investment counseling firm. He also founded and managed an early-stage Venture Capital Group which was structured to invest and restructure, both capability and capital in emerging growth companies that had the potential to alter delivery systems of various digital deliverance systems. Mr. Schwartz was also portfolio manager for several very substantial entrepreneurs including an NFL team owner, the largest world-wide fast-food restaurant and others where preservation of capital is uppermost. Among the many developmental accomplishments, was the establishment of converting a regional not for profit HMO to one of the most prominent and largest for-profit public companies in the world. Mr. Schwartz was nominated as Entrepreneur of the Year in 1995 by Merrill Lynch and Ernst & Young. With his success behind him and Rita, his wife of 54 years, he was ready to sit back and enjoy life’s offerings and spend time with his family. He has a daughter who lives in Miami and has 3 grandchildren. His son lives in Los Angeles. Sam’s life changed irrevocably on an annual visit to Dr. Ed Hui, his East/West Internist at UCLA, through a routine blood test, when it was discovered that he had mesothelioma. He knew virtually nothing about mesothelioma, other than from the television commercials, advertising lawyers on television. Sam does not know how he contracted mesothelioma but thinks that it may have come from the U.S Army barracks at Ft. Dix N.J which were constructed with asbestos. It also may have come from the talc that was distributed from the military and used for personal perspiration hygiene. And, it could have come from a house that he bought some fifty years ago that had popcorn blown ceilings that he had had removed. Through his pulmonologist, Dr. Joanne Bando at UCLA, Sam was referred to Dr. Robert B. Cameron. He did his research and then when he met him, he knew that he had found the right doctor. Dr. Cameron informed him that he was in the early stages of mesothelioma – stage one. As Sam had no symptoms, he asked him that if he decided to do nothing at all, how long would he survive. Dr. Cameron told him that it would be between 12-20 months. Sam also asked him how many people he had lost on the table. Dr. Cameron told him only one, and it was due to a heart attack. So, with the odds weighing heavily in his favor, he went with the pleural decortication (P/D) surgery on July 8, 2019, which lasted 11 hours. Dr. Cameron was there for him every step of the way, a strong advocate, every day, even visiting him on Sunday. After his P/D surgery and during his eight-day hospital stay, it was discovered that he has a rare heart condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, an often-undiagnosed disease associated with heart failure. After completing five weeks of radiation therapy, Sam now has an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) that will deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat. Fortunately, there have not been any incidents to trigger the device. He is so grateful to Dr. Cameron for saving his life that he promised to do whatever he could to help with mesothelioma research. He generously matched $150,000 in donations for the October 2020, 9th Annual Walk/Hike for Mesothelioma. His team, Fans of Sam also raised an additional $27,605. His leadership and guidance stimulated the most successful fundraiser in the history of the Institute raising in excess of $500,000. He feels good. He told Dr Cameron that he will willingly assist in supporting the Institute, and he has certainly done so. He lives a healthy lifestyle and has an upbeat, positive attitude on life. He is easy to like and easy to get to know. He is extremely thankful to Dr Cameron and his team for all that he has done for him. And he acknowledges how lucky we are to have access to the amazing medical professionals at UCLA. Sam is an avid sports fan and has season tickets to the Lakers, Clippers and Kings. He is looking forward to being able to attend the games again with his son.