Dear friends,

With your support and Todd's will to fight, we reached a major milestone today. It has been a very intense day and I will save the drama for our next beer together. Bottom line is that we made it to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC. Todd is resting peacefully. We are in the best hands and will live happily ever after.

Love - Michelle

Last night and today, Todd was in awful abdominal pain. We made a decision to try a larger hospital to remove abdominal liquid (10 liters!). It was on a hope and a prayer that a doctor would do this procedure today, on a Sunday. We were told "not likely" multiple times and then we got an answered prayer - a doc came in and agreed to do this procedure!!! We can breathe now, and Todd will have relief prior to our Sloan appointment tomorrow. Thank you all for your positive thoughts and prayers. We are SO happy!!!!

Love and smiles - Michelle

Dear Family and Friends,

It’s been a little over a week since I received my diagnosis; Stage IV Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.  It’s about the worst cancer card you can pull out of the deck.  Subsequent to getting this bombshell news, I’ve been back to the hospital 2 times (4 more days) to have various related issues addressed.  Meanwhile, we’re trying to learn as much as we can about the disease and treatment options, securing records, and scheduling consults.  On top of this, I’ve been physically exhausted and dealing with a lot of pain. 

As distressing as this has been on my family and me, what’s more overwhelming has been the outpouring of love and support.  We are so grateful for those have contributed advice, made connections, and donated to the fund that was set up.  The donations will help us significantly in the short term, as neither Michelle nor I are currently working while we address my immediate health issues and sort out the treatment plan moving forward.  In addition to clinical trials, we will also explore experimental treatments, many of which come with significant out of pocket expense.  Thank you for helping to make this possible!

Since diagnosis, I’ve had a couple of oncological consults and we’re very excited that Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will review my case on Monday, June 30.  My hope is to get admitted into their program and get started on a chemotherapy regimen immediately (likely the Folfirinox regimen), as the cancer is spreading as I write this.  Once I get stabilized with chemo, I will have more energy and time to explore additional options like clinical trials and experimental drugs (under “compassionate care” use) that offer more hope than the standard chemo / palliative care plan.

My definition for success in this fight is to live as many quality days as I can for as long as I can.  As dim as the prognosis is, I am hopeful that there is a treatment out there that will help me enhance the quality and the extent of my life.

We could use your help with some research on these fronts.  Michelle or I will post again soon with some specific requests that we’re hoping our precious support network (that’s you) can help us with.

With gratitude and love,

Todd

#zestforlife

Yesterday Todd had 5.5 liters of liquid removed from his abdomen. He was quick to convert that to approx. 7.33 bottles of wine. He is feeling a lot better.

Thank you for your positive thoughts and prayers.

- Love, Michelle

We have been blessed to rapidly secure consultations at three leading institutions: UPMC tomorrow, Hackensack on Thursday and next Monday with the world-renown pancreatic cancer team at Sloan Kettering. We are very excited to have so many great teams to help inform us and from which to find the best partner for care. 

Unfortunately, Todd was experiencing significant pain today and has been readmitted to Mountainside Hospital, where he will have a procedure tomorrow to alleviate the pressure in his abdomen. This means we can't meet with UPMC tomorrow, according to our plan.

Todd has not been very active on social media this week as he focuses on finding the best care and managing his energy and pain. He's completely humbled and grateful by all of the support that has been coming our way. He sends his gratitude. While he cannot move around in these hours like he used to, he wanted me to share with you the dance of his heart today as he looks forward to celebrating life every day. 

Click here to see what came up on his EKG today!

- Love, Michelle

To our family and extended family; our childhood friends in Pittsburgh, West Virginia, and Jamestown; our friends and colleagues from Deloitte, McKinsey and Todd's entrepreneurial ventures; our neighbors and friends in Glen Ridge and Jersey City; our Columbia Business School family; our acquaintances who only "know" us through Kristen's Facebook pictures; to the people we don't know and care anyway:

Thank you. Thank you for your kind thoughts, positive messages, prayers, and for every cent that you contributed to our fight against cancer. We went public with this news yesterday, and your positive response has been nothing short of just awe-inspiring. 

You are a part of our team and you are helping us to make history. We are going to do everything in our power to kick cancer in the teeth. You are giving us energy to do this. We will leave no rock unturned to find new approaches to win. We will be the medical case that doctors study in school and that give other patients hope. We love you.

- Love, Michelle

This news is devastating. Still, we are finding small miracles around us every day. We are given the opportunity to reset our priorities in life -- it is all about LOVE. Our children will grow up knowing they have the world's best dad. We can positively contribute to cancer research and support others going through this situation. We are experiencing the absolute best in our friends and family, and the kindness of strangers -- how lucky are we?! Our hearts are filled with gratitude.

- Love, Michelle

We created this site as a way to communicate with friends and family during Todd's fight. Please visit this site to stay up to date, or follow them on Twitter and Facebook. 

Todd was diagnosed this past Thursday, June 19, with advanced pancreatic cancer.  Next week they're visiting with doctors at leading medical institutions to find the best team to help Todd win this battle.  They hope to get through these decisions quickly and begin treatment the following week.  They've tried to reach out to as many of you in person as they could, but it's been a bit overwhelming.  They are humbled by all the support and prayers already received.  It has been incredible, especially as they are still digesting the news too.

Many are asking how to best help the Fertigs.  We've created this donation page to fund the family through the journey. 

In the coming months, Michelle and Todd are putting Todd's health as their top priority.  Todd is taking a hiatus from work effective immediately.  And Michelle will need to take time off from work to support him.  Additionally, the Fertigs will have to take on special healthcare costs as they look to break the boundaries on what is thought medically possible in terms beating this cancer.

With this changing focus, they will need our support to sustain their basic needs -- from paying for childcare for their three children to maintaining mortgage payments to stay in their home.  We would love to see them not worry about finances during this time, and have some resources to afford meaningful experiences with their family and friends in the weeks and months (and years!) ahead.

Please join me in supporting this awesome family.

-A family friend