To know him is to love him.

Dad, Pop, Willy, Uncle Will, Wilbur, Big Will, the Monsignor - my father goes by many names because he is so many things to so many people.

Last month our family had to hear the gut wrenching words, "It's cancer," once again.

My dad has throat cancer and a tough, but winnable, battle is ahead of him.

As many of you know this is my dad's second battle with this disease. Five years ago in September of 2016 he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He endured months of radiation and chemo and underwent a 12 hour long surgery in January of 2017 to remove a large portion of his esophagus and reconnect it to his stomach. His recovery was excruciating and it lasted months, my mother nursed him and never gave up hope. He beat the odds and survived. The following Christmas we celebrated - dad was here (and Notre Dame was in the Cotton Bowl). My dad embraced his second chance and we breathed out our worst fears....

Now we face those fears again.

This cancer is a new cancer. It did not stem from the esophagus, but it will affect the area greatly. My parents have been in fast forward over the last few weeks with appointments happening nonstop. The best prognosis will require daily specialized radiation and chemo treatments at UPenn in Philadelphia for seven weeks. This treatment will lead to an enormous amount of pain and discomfort and he will be placed on a feeding tube due to his already diminished ability to swallow from his previous surgery. However, the throat cancer is in an earlier stage and his doctors are optimistic that this treatment will be curative.

My parents are now faced with the enormous expense of living in Philadelphia for the duration of his seven weeks of daily treatment. My mother will need to be at his side, just as she has been for the last 50 years. She is determined to keep him here, next to her, for many more years. This will also require us to arrange for the care of my 97 year old GG, Millie, who resides with my parents.

My dad is tough, stubborn, and curses like a sailor - I'm hoping these traits will get him through this fight.

I'm also hoping his endless capacity for love, generosity, and his gift of friendship will lead you all to support him in beating cancer once again.