Hagar fighting through cancer diagnosis; benefit set for March 21

By Benjamin Joe

Senior Contributing Writer

Mark Hagar Jr., 50, has lost 60 pounds so far, as his chemotherapy treatments continue at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute. There is no cure for pancreatic cancer and the treatment he’s receiving is for “maintenance,” Hagar explained from his home on Friday.

“It’s basically maintenance and a battle until the treatment doesn’t work anymore or your body says it’s not going to handle the treatment anymore,” he said. “You just got to keep on pushing through and hope they come up with new drugs and new treatments. There’s some promising treatments coming out. So, they’re finally making some breakthroughs.”

Hagar’s friends and family are raising funds for Hagar as he keeps pushing through. They are throwing a fundraising event from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 21, at Lewiston No. 2 firehall, 1705 Saunders Settlement Road. Hagar said he’ll make an appearance if he’s not too tired. There will be a basket auction along with games and food.

“Our friends and family are just amazing; you couldn’t ask for a better group of people behind you. Everybody calls and checks in and stops by at least once a week, twice a week, three times a week! Our parents, our friends. It’s been a blessing, it really has,” Hagar said.

He explained the first sign there was something wrong with him came in September of 2025 when Hagar began to feel ill. After going to a doctor, he found out there were “abnormalities” in his blood work in October. Then, some spots on his liver were found in November and, because cancer doesn’t normally start with the liver, further tests were made. Cancer was found in Hagar’s pancreas. His treatments began in December when the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was confirmed.

Hagar now undergoes chemotherapy treatments twice a week.

But Hagar said he’s been “lucky with symptoms.” The side effects of the chemo have not caused nausea, and any pain he had at first is subsiding. He does have some sensitivity to the cold, so he’s mostly inside, and there has been weight loss – though he’s gaining weight back. Hagar said the spots on his liver are disappearing and he feels well, if exhausted.

“Small things are big victories,” he said. “You have good blood work today. That’s a huge victory. You gained some weight. That’s a huge victory. It just changes your perspective on things.”

Hagar is from Niagara Falls and owns the barbershop Ron’s Place for Hair, located at 2910 Pine Ave. He’s worked there for 30 years. Currently, the business is working without Hagar, but he still goes in a couple times a week for an hour or two.

“I started sweeping floors and answering phones, and I started cutting hair there. Eventually, I took it over,” he said, noting he had always worked 50 to 60 hours a week. It is “a tough pill to take,” to go from there to zero.

Hagar doesn’t quite know how to feel when it comes to being on the receiving side of support.

“For me to have the benefit, it took a lot of convincing,” he said. “For me to say, ‘OK, we can do it,’ because they were pushing it pretty hard. ‘You may not want to do it, but you got to do it.’ It’s just I’ve always been self-sufficient. Nothing was free. … That’s just the way it’s always been.”

Hagar said that, when he found out about the cancer, it turned his world “upside down.” There was no denial, but a bit of anger and largely disappointment.

“You work all your life to retire and … I won’t be able to enjoy my retirement. But you come to grips with it,” he said.

Tickets for the fundraiser can be purchased by calling 716-940-4055.