Help Mike Continue His Inspiring Cancer Fight

Hello there!

Todd and Lisa White here. We love Mike—and his journey so far has been nothing short of miraculous.

At the very end of July 2024, Mike was almost completely immobilized by severe pain in his side. Todd took him to the ER, where a CT scan revealed a blockage in his colon. He was admitted immediately. On August 2nd, a biopsy was performed, and later that day, the doctor gave us the devastating news: Mike had stage 4 colon cancer and was given two years to live.

On August 5th, Mike underwent surgery to place a colostomy bag and a chemo port. He was discharged on August 7th—just in time for the tail end of hurricane season! At the end of August, he contacted the Moffitt Cancer Center, who thankfully accepted him as a patient.

Throughout September, Moffitt ran a series of tests—CT scans, PET scans, and MRIs. The cancer had spread to his liver, lymph nodes, and remained present in his colon. Mike started his first round of chemo on October 2nd, completing six sessions by mid-December.

On December 16th, he went through another round of scans. Just two days later, the doctor delivered encouraging news: the tumor had shrunk by 50%, and the spots on his liver had shrunk by 25% to 75%! The doctor was thrilled and impressed with how well Mike's body was responding to treatment.

Based on those results, Mike took a short “chemo vacation” and met with the doctors again in mid-January. They agreed to begin another round of six chemo sessions, starting in February 2025.

By mid-April, another set of scans showed that the tumor had shrunk even more. Only two small spots remained on his liver, and the cancer in his lymph nodes had disappeared entirely. The liver board reviewed his case and, rather than pursue surgery immediately, decided on an additional three months of oral chemo pills.

In July, another CT scan was performed. At his follow-up on July 21st, Dr. Winter shared more good news: the tumor and liver spots had not grown, and his progress was so inspiring that she now shares Mike’s case as an example of how effective chemo can be.

On July 31st, Mike will meet with his surgeon, Dr. Felder, to discuss reversing the colostomy bag and removing the affected part of his colon. This surgery is significant and carries risks—including a 10% chance of tearing during recovery, which could result in sepsis if not caught early. Mike will likely be hospitalized for 5 to 7 days, followed by at least a week of bed rest at home.

Mike wants to share this with you all:

“With the support of my friends, I’ve been able to stay positive through this whole journey. I never got depressed, and I’ve been encouraging others to get screened for cancer.”

After surgery, the doctor will evaluate treatment options for the remaining two small liver spots. Because of the advanced nature of his cancer, Mike will be on oral chemo for the rest of his life.

Now, we need your help.

When this all started, Mike had to cut back to part-time at work just to manage treatments. He was approved for Social Security Disability, which helped with insurance and medications. But between part-time work and limited disability income, he could just barely keep up with his medical costs.

Unfortunately, due to the recent slowdown in the real estate market, even the few hours Mike was working have been reduced further—down to one, maybe two days a week. With his upcoming surgery and recovery time, he won’t be able to work at all for a while.

That means he’ll struggle to afford basic medical expenses—chemo pills, ostomy supplies, medications—and that’s not even including rent, utilities, and day-to-day living expenses.

We’re reaching out to Mike’s friends and community to ask for help. If we can ease the financial burden, Mike can focus all his energy on healing and continuing this battle.

We know times are tough and it’s not easy to ask. But if you’re able to donate any amount, it would mean the world. Your generosity, encouragement, and support are what’s helped Mike stay strong throughout this journey—and we’ll continue to share updates here as he fights on.

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you.

—Todd & Lisa White