My brother-in-law, Mike Zigon has been unable to work while he’s fighting Stage 3 pancreatic cancer with chemo and surgery. He needs our help to beat the cancer and support his young family.

How the funds will be used:

We ask that you give what you can and share this with others you think would be willing to help.

The Back Story

In 2020, Mike Zigon made a big bet on himself, investing his time and savings to start a small business built on his photography skills.

The plan was to create a business and see that investment pay back many times over as the enterprise grew. It could operate in concert with his wife Natalie as she ran her business and took care of their two young children (now 10 and 7 years old).

The first part of the plan worked great, as his business quickly became profitable and allowed him to support his family.

Unfortunately, the anticipated long payback period came to an abrupt halt in August 2022 (on Mike’s birthday no less).

Cancer Strikes

As many of you may know, Mike was diagnosed with Stage 3 pancreatic cancer, a disease that is difficult to detect in time and extremely hard to treat even when you do.

It’s a diagnosis that until recently was mostly a discussion of “time left” and not “cures”.

Chemo

Since last August, Mike has had to stop working and has poured that same energy from building the business into giving his body the best chance he can, enduring 3 months of brutal day-long, bi-weekly chemotherapy treatments to give him a chance at a cure.

He’s been in the hospital multiple times dealing with side effects and set-backs while fighting the disease.

Surgery

Curing pancreatic cancer involves surgery and Mike is no different. On January 11, 2023, he will undergo an 8-hour surgery involving the removal of his entire pancreas, as well as his spleen, gall bladder, part of his stomach and duodenum.

The Long Recovery

Recovery from the surgery will take a week-long hospital stay, and 6 weeks of healing at home. Then he faces 3 more months of chemo, which is needed to give him the best chance at preventing (or at least delaying) the recurrence of a cancer that is notorious for coming back.

Finally, he will be a diabetic for the rest of his life with all the changes that will involve.

Mike needs your help to beat the cancer and support his family until he can rebuild his photography business.