This story is one of hope and inspiration. I hope anyone reading this is as fortunate as I am to have found a set of lifelong friends in college, including my wife I've been with for 30 years. Included in this crew was my college roommate, for whom I had the privilege to serve as the best man at his wedding and spend years sharing each chapter of our lives together. His name is Peter Horton and if there was ever a poster child for getting your colon cancer screening at the age of 50, his story is that. Having married his college sweetheart, he has three kids and lives the classic happy suburban life in Columbus, Ohio.

It was stunning to him and everyone around when he was diagnosed with Stage-4 colon cancer. It appears it may have started in his colon and spread to his liver. I have to add he simultaneously lost his job at a large organization through a significant corporate downsizing. Many people would have given up or sought-out any number of paths leading to despair. But not our Horton! With grit and determination, he jumped into a variety of therapies done at the Cleveland clinic—first, surgeries to remove the cancer from his colon and then chemotherapy to attack the cancer that had spread. Included in this was a very aggressive and experimental approach through a liver transplant that he just recently had. I cried the day his wife called and share the great news that, through the wonderful organ donor system, a new liver had been found and his surgery was underway. He is now cancer free.

But as many people know, this is just the beginning of an even longer journey of recovery—and many challenges for a wonderful family—as they send three kids to college and adjust to the complex life of recovery. Peter is blessed with love and support from many friends and family, but the hard truth is that we're at a point where funds are needed to help them bridge the financial gaps that will invariably arise. Even as he discharges from the Cleveland clinic and starts his multi-year journey, there’s a lot of therapy and ultimately another round of surgeries still ahead to pay for. Any donation is most appreciated, along with thoughts, prayers, and inspiration.

Peter inspires me every day and I hope his story inspires others. Please help Horton heal and beat cancer. For Pete’s sake!