Who is the Mike Shane Memorial Fund?
The Mike Shane Memorial Fund was created to provide remote second opinions to people diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. A remote second opinion allows an expert physician to review a patient's medical records and images and make a diagnosis without the patient having to travel. Some patients can't afford this expense, as many insurance plans still may not cover RSOs. MSMF was created as the philanthropic arm of Purview, a company whose mission is to improve medical outcomes by enabling access and sharing of diagnostic information, including for remote second opinions.
Mike Shane, an investor in Purview, was a deeply devoted husband, father of three, and grandfather; a hard-working entrepreneur; and a generous philanthropist. For a decade, Mike directed the Dayton Feast of Giving, which hosts a free Thanksgiving meal annually for the Dayton, Ohio community. He also served on the Board of Trustees for Dayton Children's Hospital, the Southwest Ohio Board of the American Heart Association, and the Board of Trustees for the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton.
Mike was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in February of 2018. He died in April of 2019. To honor Mike's legacy of generosity, Purview launched the Mike Shane Memorial Fund because we believe every person should have access to a second opinion. MSMF is completely donor-funded and run by volunteers. One hundred percent of the money donated to the fund is used to provide remote second opinions.
What is cholangiocarcinoma?
Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare cancer that affects the bile ducts. According to the American Cancer Society, about 8,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with it each year. Cholangiocarcinoma can be categorized in two ways; intrahepatic (inside the liver) and extrahepatic (outside the liver). The chances of survival for patients with bile duct cancer depend to a large extent on its location and how advanced it is when it's found (Survival Statistics for Bile Duct Cancers).
How does MSMF work?
Patients who have been diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma can find us through our website or our advocacy partners. If they are a U.S. citizen, have had an initial diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma, and will not be an inpatient at the time of the second opinion they can begin the application on our applications page. Once the application is submitted and the hospital is chosen, an application confirmation will be sent. Within 24 hours, a welcome letter and a patient agreement will be emailed for completion. Once all of the requested information is gathered, the case file will be sent to the hospital and they will take over communication with the patient.
Our First Year
We are so thankful to have had an incredible first year, thanks to our medical and advocacy partners and our generous and supportive community at large. Since our founding in 2019, the Mike Shane Memorial Fund:
Became incorporated and have 501(c)3 status.
Gained a growing list of partner hospitals that perform the remote second opinions and advocacy partners who help us spread the word about our charity. (For the most updated list of both, please visit our website homepage.)
Launched successful fundraising campaigns that allowed us to provide remote second opinions for 8 patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma.
Collected and delivered three trunk-loads of food to the Anne Arundel Food Bank in honor of Mike Shane’s Dayton Feast of Giving.
Our Outlook for the Future
Our hope for the future of the Mike Shane Memorial Fund is to continue to be the resource for remote second opinions for people diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. We would like to grow our list of hospital and advocacy partners to offer patients more options and spread the word about our charity even further to those in need of our services. We look forward to hosting our first golf tournament in 2021 to raise additional funds for future remote second opinions.
How Can You Get Involved?
We are 100% volunteer-run and donor-funded, and we are always looking for help! If you would like to volunteer, you can email us at MikeShaneFund@purview.net and let us know what your skills are and what you would like to contribute. If you are involved with any groups or medical providers who may want to partner with us, please reach out to the same email above. Lastly, if you are able and would like to donate, you can do so here. We greatly appreciate you all!
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