Help Mike Fight Cancer

Barb Menne is organizing this fundraiser.

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My name is Barb Menne. I met my husband, Mike Menne, at Goltz Baseball Park when we were just 13 years old. We developed an exceptional friendship and after Mike joined the Marine Corps we realized we were meant to be more than friends.

We have been married for 37 years and have had the joy of being the parents of our daughters Samantha and Kate. Both of our daughters became engaged this summer to the most wonderful men, both of whom are named Matt. We provided a loving home for Mike’s mom Pat for 14 years, until her passing.

Recently, Mike had fallen a number of times. Always a tough guy, he dismissed it as nothing more than getting his feet tangled in the garden hose or some other rationalization of why he was falling. Eventually he could not walk. He was taken to the hospital via ambulance on September 13th. His blood sugar was dangerously high. At the ER they told us he was in ketoacidosis and that they would admit him to get his blood sugar regulated. Because of the falls, they did some other X-rays and a CT of the head. The ER doctor informed us that Mike had lesions in his lungs, liver, bladder and his brain. We were blindsided and devastated by this news. After 8 days in the hospital, of which 6 were in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit, a biopsy confirmed that Mike had Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma. A second opinion at Loyola confirmed the results and the treatment recommended by our local Oncologists.

Mike finished the 10 radiation treatments to the brain on Monday the 4th of October and will begin Immunotherapy later this week. If successful, the treatments will last about 2 1⁄2 years. He is still unable to walk, but has some movement in the left leg and is working very hard with PT to help regain the use of his left leg. The hope is to give us more time with our beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend. Mike is determined to be able to walk down the aisle with his girls and to be there to celebrate their happiest day with them.

Mike is always there for us. Ready to lend a hand or some sage advice he can always be counted on. Any neighbor in need would find their grass cut or driveway shoveled. He is a passionate White Sox and Bears fan. He loves our rescue pup Maddy with all of his heart. He has the greenest thumb and loves to give away the produce from our garden to family and friends. His lawn is the envy of every neighborhood we’ve ever lived in and I jokingly call him the “Sodfather”.

I have taken FMLA to be able to care for Mike at home and get him to all Doctor appointments. My leave is unpaid. The medical bills are beginning to mount as are the costs of medication and over the counter home health supplies. Depending on our future needs, we may even need to modify our home to better accommodate a wheelchair.