Michael Maguire Cancer Fund
Donation protected
Life has a way of reminding you that it's precious. It occurs to you when you hold a new born baby in your arms, and it's just as reflective when you are abruptly confronted with the frailty of your own mortality. After all, this isn't the way it was supposed to be.
As many are aware, Mike's battle with Pancreatic Cancer, that began in late 2017 has risen to haunt him once more, only the rules have somewhat changed. The cancer has metastasized, which in short means that the cancer cells have entered his bloodstream. In Mike's case, this has resulted in lesions now found on his liver.
To date, he has undergone four chemotherapy treatments, each consisting of an extremely aggressive "cocktail" that the doctors have formulated to target the affected area, taking in excess of five hours in one sitting to administer. The side-effects of which are simply heart wrenching, and in a short period of time have had a profound effect on the quality of his life, in which his days consist more or less of continuous vomiting and sleep. It has forced him to limit his availability as a teacher, catering to those with learning disabilities as well as lessen his roll with his band, which to all who know him, is very dear to his heart and has truly been an invaluable source of therapy over the past 18 months. Of course, it goes without saying that he has a long way to go, but there is a plan of attack in place.
After one more treatment, Mike will once again undergo surgery to remove the lesions on his liver. After which, odds are that he will need to endure a few more chemotherapy treatments, scans and tests to see where things stand. Until then, I guess we all just have to hold our breath and play yet another game of "wait and see."
Unfortunately, life can be unforgiving, and so can the pile of bills that mount with no foreseeable end in sight. Yes I know that we all have bills to pay, but God has blessed us with the physical ability to attack them head-on, but in this case, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and Lord knows it's not by choice.
Adding insult to injury, Michael's wife Annette also has her own ongoing battle with Lymphoma. Diagnosed only one month apart back in 2017, Annette continues to endure tremendous joint pain following her bi-monthly treatments, the side effects of which are nothing short of incapacitating. They ultimately force her to take multiple days off of work, thus leaving Michael in the unfortunate capacity of caregiver, a role that he performs to the best of his ability considering his own limitations. As one can imagine, when your monthly income has been reduced by 75% and your spouses income has been impacted significantly as well, meeting the demands of the outside world becomes an unrealistic reality, and it's simply a matter of time before the circumstances that bend, begin to break and come crashing down around you.
We all know of someone who has been touched by this awful disease, perhaps a family member or a spouse, this time it's a friend. I ask that as a friend, that you reach out and do what you can to help, regardless of what it may be, because when united with others, the impact can be incredible. And we could all use a little "incredible" right now.
I thank each and every one of you in advance, from the bottom of my heart.
As many are aware, Mike's battle with Pancreatic Cancer, that began in late 2017 has risen to haunt him once more, only the rules have somewhat changed. The cancer has metastasized, which in short means that the cancer cells have entered his bloodstream. In Mike's case, this has resulted in lesions now found on his liver.
To date, he has undergone four chemotherapy treatments, each consisting of an extremely aggressive "cocktail" that the doctors have formulated to target the affected area, taking in excess of five hours in one sitting to administer. The side-effects of which are simply heart wrenching, and in a short period of time have had a profound effect on the quality of his life, in which his days consist more or less of continuous vomiting and sleep. It has forced him to limit his availability as a teacher, catering to those with learning disabilities as well as lessen his roll with his band, which to all who know him, is very dear to his heart and has truly been an invaluable source of therapy over the past 18 months. Of course, it goes without saying that he has a long way to go, but there is a plan of attack in place.
After one more treatment, Mike will once again undergo surgery to remove the lesions on his liver. After which, odds are that he will need to endure a few more chemotherapy treatments, scans and tests to see where things stand. Until then, I guess we all just have to hold our breath and play yet another game of "wait and see."
Unfortunately, life can be unforgiving, and so can the pile of bills that mount with no foreseeable end in sight. Yes I know that we all have bills to pay, but God has blessed us with the physical ability to attack them head-on, but in this case, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, and Lord knows it's not by choice.
Adding insult to injury, Michael's wife Annette also has her own ongoing battle with Lymphoma. Diagnosed only one month apart back in 2017, Annette continues to endure tremendous joint pain following her bi-monthly treatments, the side effects of which are nothing short of incapacitating. They ultimately force her to take multiple days off of work, thus leaving Michael in the unfortunate capacity of caregiver, a role that he performs to the best of his ability considering his own limitations. As one can imagine, when your monthly income has been reduced by 75% and your spouses income has been impacted significantly as well, meeting the demands of the outside world becomes an unrealistic reality, and it's simply a matter of time before the circumstances that bend, begin to break and come crashing down around you.
We all know of someone who has been touched by this awful disease, perhaps a family member or a spouse, this time it's a friend. I ask that as a friend, that you reach out and do what you can to help, regardless of what it may be, because when united with others, the impact can be incredible. And we could all use a little "incredible" right now.
I thank each and every one of you in advance, from the bottom of my heart.
Organizer and beneficiary
Duke Getzinger
Organizer
Delta, OH
Michael Maguire
Beneficiary