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As many of you know, my uncle and dad's brother, Robert Michael Coates, lost his battle with cancer on March 22nd at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Shadyside Hospital. Mike was diagnosed in April of 2014 with esophageal cancer and was brought to Houston's MD Anderson, largely regarded as the number one cancer hospital in the U.S. After five months of intense chemotherapy, he was declared cancer free. A full-body PET scan in December showed no cancer cells, and Mike seemed to be in great shape. God, however, had different plans for Mike. In the rarest of situations, Mike's cancer returned, very atypically, to his brain. Worse, they found it in his spinal and cranial fluid. We weren't prepared for the intensity of this disease, but are comforted in the fact that he is no longer in pain and died in the presence of family; a very difficult loss to comprehend, nonetheless. That's where #Miles4Mike comes in. Back in October, we, along with two of my brothers, summited Mount Whitney for Mike, fully expecting him to win this battle. Now, we plan on running the Flying Pig Marathon relay in memory of. Our fundraising goal is $2000 and all proceeds will be donated to the America Cancer Society. #Miles4Mike #FlyingPigMarathonRelay2015 #NoOneFightsAlone

