My name is Mike Wooten. I'm a husband, a dad to two boys, and a man of faith. I've been fighting brain cancer since I was 14 years old.

My first seizure happened in 1997, when I was a sophomore in high school. I didn't tell anyone because I didn't know what it was. In 2004, the day before I proposed to my wife, doctors found a tumor in my brain: a grade 2 oligodendroglioma. It's a rare brain cancer that spreads like a spider web and comes with epilepsy. In 2005 I had surgery to remove as much of it as they could, but this cancer can't be cured. It can only be fought.

I've been fighting it ever since. In 2019, severe seizures caused internal bleeding, and I'm lucky I survived. Today I live with memory loss, cognitive decline, hearing loss, and daily pain from scar tissue. Most days I hide it well. I keep working, keep showing up for my family, and keep trying to give more than I take.

Every month I travel to Stanford Medical Center for scans and specialist care. In December, I start a new injection treatment that my doctors hope will slow this down.

Here's where I need help. Our family is facing about $20,000 in medical bills, and the costs of treatment, travel, and scans keep coming. Asking for help is one of the hardest things I've ever done. But after 20+ years, the bills have caught up with us.

Where your gift goes:

• The first $20,000 pays off our current medical bills.

• The next $20,000 covers the December - June treatments, the monthly Stanford trips, scans, and ongoing care.

Years ago I learned that life is too short to miss its best. I'm still here, and I'm still fighting for more time with my wife and boys.

If you can give, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Every amount matters. If you can't give, please share this page. Sharing is how help finds us.

With gratitude,

Mike