It's Been a Long Road...

Mike last enjoying an Oakland Raiders game.
This was after winning his second fight with cancer.

Mike's health struggles began 10 years ago when he was diagnosed with a very rare form of testicular cancer. At this time, the aggressive cancer spread to his lymph nodes and kidneys. While he was only in his early twenties, Mike was fighting for his life while many of his friends were enjoying a carefree life at college.

After major surgeries on his abdomen, neck, and kidneys as well as chemotherapy, Mike won his first fight with cancer. Mike lived cancer free for about five years. During this time he graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, got married to Meghann Schaney and had their miracle baby, Cayla. She's the miracle baby because Mike was told his chances of having children were less than 5%. Mike also enjoyed helping others through his job as a nuclear technician at the hospital. A few years later, the family welcomed their second baby, Dylan.

Always the devoted father, here's Mike with Cayla and Dylan.

In 2010, the family got the discouraging news that Mike's cancer had come back. This time it was located in the bones of his lower spine and pelvis. When many others would have accepted defeat, Mike continued to fight for his family. Being faced with a type of cancer that had only been treated a handful of times before, Mike traveled to John Hopkins Medical Center to have major spinal and back surgery to remove the cancer from his bones.

The surgery was successful in that it removed the cancer, but not without taking its toll on Mike's body. After the surgery Mike was left permanently disabled and unable to work. After months of physical therapy, Mike has been able to progress to walking with a cane.

On July 30, 2012, Mike returned to John Hopkins for more back surgery. Since he had to have radiation to kill any remaining cancer from his surgery in 2010, Mike's bones never regenerated to grow around the rods and pins that were put in to stabilize his back and protect his spine. As a result, Mike was left with severe pain on a daily basis. This surgery this summer was done in hopes of improving his quality of life.  Mike's surgery went well and he amazed us all with his will to get back home to his family.

Unfortunately, he could not seem to catch a break and was faced with serious, life threatening complications that sent him fighting for his life once again.  Mike was once admitted to the hospital once again due to chest pains and difficulty breathing. After hours of tests and anxious waiting, it was determined that Mike had a life threatening blood clot in his right lung as well as pneumonia. Mike spent another week in the hospital and then returned home once again. Mike continues to struggle with the blood clots in his lungs, even a year later.



The family together just after Dylan was born.

The cruel reality of life is that every time Mike needs additional care for all his complications, his medical bills add up. The family has been extremely thankful to all the support they have recieved from their family and friends. However, the battle is not over and the bills continue to come in.

. Please take a moment to do what you can to help bring him some relief. It is a huge blessing to have any support that can help relieve the financial stress of the his heartbreaking situation. The family has been working to fund raise for Mike, Meg, and the kids.

Mike and Meghann enjoying some time at IUP with close friends.

Once again, THANK YOU to all who have done what they can to support the family! The love, support, thoughts, and prayers have been an amazing help with Mike's recovery.