Please support me and my insanity as I go Over The Edge and rappel 22 stories down the side of the famous Koppers Building in downtown Pittsburgh! My insanity, however, isn't from the fact that I decided to rappel down a building, no, my insanity comes from the fact that only 4% of government funding goes towards pediatric cancer and 250 children are dying every day! My fear of heights and the intense fear that I will feel for those few minutes rappelling down the side of that building is nothing compared to the fear a child feels while battling cancer! Not even close! You see, unfortunately, I have been on a journey and have first hand experience as I went to war with my own ten year old daughter, Anna, and her battle with brain cancer. It is a journey no child or parent should ever have to take. God has truly blessed us as He guided us through our storm and continues to guide us on our long road ahead. Cancer, however, knows no bounds as it continues to wreak havoc on so many young innocent lives and has taken the lives of many of Anna's sweet friends from St Jude Children's Research Hospital! One such friend, and the reason I am rappelling, is Austyn Halter. Austyn was diagnosed with leukemia, AML-M7 on August 17, 2015 at just 2-1/2 years old. She endured 6 harsh rounds of chemotherapy at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas. After the 6th round her leukemia had gotten worse. On May 15th, 2016 she was flown along with her wonderful parents, Sarah and Josh, to St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee for Austyn to be part of a research study, HAPNK-1 stem cell transplant. Austyn received the transplant & celebrated her "new birthday" on June 9th, 2016. Austyn was in remission for a short time but the cancer returned. On August 4th 2017 Austyn, only 4-1/2 years old, took her final breath in the arms of her mommy and daddy. In her short 4-1/2 years Austyn  touched SO MANY lives, none more than my own, and she has changed those lives forever. She was such a sweet little southern belle princess that had a smile as big as Texas itself and a heart that was even bigger! Austyn, and all the children who have lost their lives to this horrible disease and those who are still fighting, deserve more than 4% of government funding. I want to raise awareness to pediatric cancer and I also want to raise money for these precious children. Austyn was a big supporter of Anna (the most memorable was a video she made for Anna in which she said "You got this Anna!" all the while she was going through her own battle) and we miss her dearly! Austyn will live in my heart forever and I know she will be with me as I descend down the side of that building telling me "You got this Mr. Mike". Please keep Austyn, and her wonderful mom and dad Sarah and Josh, in your thoughts and prayers! This is why your support is desperately needed! It is needed so that LLS can continue finding cures so that, one day, no child will die from this horrible disease. So that one day, cancer will take its last breath!

 

Thank you for your support!!

Welcome To My Fundraising Page.

Please join me in supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) by making a donation to my fundraising campaign. Thanks to your support, my efforts, will help fund the therapies and treatments and help save lives today.

LLS's continued advancements over the years, are responsible for the blood cancer survival rate doubling and tripling; in some cases, the survival rate has even quadrupled.

And many LLS supported therapies not only help blood cancer patients but are now used to treat patients with rare forms of stomach and skin cancers. They're even being tested in clinical trials for patients with a range of cancers including lung, brain, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers. LLS funded drugs are now being tested for patients with other non-cancerous diseases like Diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis.

We really are changing the face of blood cancer!

All donations are greatly appreciated and are tax deductible. They'll not only support LLS research but patient services, advocacy, public and professional education, and community services as well.

Please visit my Web site often and bring friends who would also like to donate!

On behalf of blood cancer patients everywhere I thank you for your support!
For more information about LLS, please visit lls.org