My name is Marcus Mitchell, and my world changed the day I was told I have Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Nothing can prepare you for a moment like that. The news hit my family and me like a storm we never saw coming. Since then, every day has been a mix of fear, hope, and a determination I never knew I’d need. My greatest worry is my daughter, Imani — her future, her security, and the moments I’m fighting so hard to stay here for.

I am committed to battling this disease with everything I have, but the reality is that the financial cost of treatments, medications, and specialist care is overwhelming. Insurance covers only a small portion, and the rest is more than I can carry alone.

I’ve spent my entire adult life serving my country and my community. For 21 years, I’ve worn the uniform of the Santa Monica Police Department, working Patrol, Background Investigations, Narcotics/Vice, and Crimes Against Persons. Before and alongside that, I have served 37 years in the United States Army, from Team Leader all the way to Command Sergeant Major. I’ve deployed across the world — Panama, Croatia, Bosnia, Guantanamo Bay, and three combat tours in Iraq. I’ve been honored with awards like the Bronze Star and the Combat Action Badge, but the greatest honor of my life has always been the people I’ve protected, mentored, and stood beside.

Today, I am a father in West Hills, California trying to hold on to as much normalcy as I can for my 7-year-old daughter, Imani, and our dog, Jackson. She is my heart, my purpose, and the reason I wake up ready to fight again each morning.

Throughout my life, I’ve been the one people turned to for help — to lead, to guide, to protect. Asking for help now is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. But I’m humbly reaching out because I cannot face this battle alone.

Any support you can offer — no matter how small — means more to me and my daughter than words can express.