Almost every time I’m at chemo, I seem to make a new friend. Today, I met Mike. As soon as he walked in wearing a Purple Stride shirt, I went over to talk to him. Turns out he lost his wife to pancreatic cancer two years ago, just six months after she was diagnosed. Last year, Mike and his family walked at Purple Stride, New Jersey. Recently, Mike was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to attend Purple Stride in November so my wife and I told him we’ll walk for his wife, Kathleen. Mike said he’ll make a donation to PANCAN in his wife’s name. He also said he’s positive he’s going to beat his cancer as he has too much to live for—two sons, five grandchildren, and a baby great-grandson.

-Bruce Hill