Michael Pisani

     Whether you call him your family, your friend, or that nice guy you work with; if you are lucky enough to know Mike, you know what a terrific person he is.  A self-proclaimed curmudgeon, Mike's sarcastic wit is the perfect cover for his sweetness--like a Teddy bear in a crab shell!  Mike loves to travel, and has seen lots of great places.  As a camera and photography enthusiast, he takes amazing photos wherever he goes. He is also a bit of a foodie, so he loves to try out cuisine from all over the world.  No travel is required for great food, though, as Mike is also a fantastic chef!  He is always on the lookout for, and ready to attempt new recipes.   Mike adores his four awesome kids, and enjoys every minute he spends with them.

     If you know Mike, you probably knew all of that, and you are here because he has been sick and you want to know what is happening.  So, here goes:  Mike was having some abdominal pain which turned out to be a bowel obstruction.  The obstructed section was surgically removed and sent for testing.  It was a complete surprise when the surgeon called to tell Mike that he had a type of cancer called Sporadic Burkitt's Lymphoma.  The doctor referred him to Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven.  Smilow is an amazing hospital with the best of the best doing great work every day.  Mike's oncologist is fantastic, and he said that this cancer responds very well to treatment and aims to cure him.  Mike has undergone various tests which will help the oncologist decide the best course of chemo for him, and he should begin treatment next week.

     Mike's surgeon told him not to go poking around on the internet to learn about Burkitt's , but to learn about his specific situation from his oncologist.  It was good advice, which I extend to his family and friends.  Come to this site to learn about what is happening with Mike.  I will post updates to let you know what's happening and how Mike is doing.  I hope that you will also post notes with your encouragement, love, funny stories and updates on your lives, too.  That's the good stuff that will give Mike strength and energy which he will need as he undergoes chemo.  You can send him pictures and videos here, too.  Communicating with all of you here will keep Mike from having to reach out to lots of folks individually, which may be tough for him to do sometimes. 

Mike’s partner in crime,
Kristen