We have all exchanged a friendly handshake with a stranger when introduced by a mutual friend. For Mark Gurrieri, this experience saved him from a rare and deadly form of brain cancer.

According to the BBC, the condition known as acromegaly occurs in just 0.0003% of the population. One symptom can be oversized, spongy hands, which can be easily spotted by a trained expert. The coincidental interchange between Mark Gurrieri and Dr. Chris Britt led to a life-saving surgery. The following short video clip covers this amazing case:

This story is about the intersection of expertise with an undiagnosed need. If Gurrieri had failed to extend his hand, he would probably be dead. If Dr. Britt had failed to speak up, he would have lost an opportunty to protect life. Genuine experts are hard to find, but the incredible tale of Mark Gurrieri demonstrates that often people who have a critical need for evaluation and change are not even aware of their problems.

Slaughter Development does not diagnose rare forms of brain cancer, but we do help clients identify needs and challenges which they may not be able to verbalize. If you know that something isn’t quite right with your process, contact us today!

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