Racine man fights lung cancer with laughter at Ascension All Saints Cancer Center

Retired veteran Michael, who lives in Racine, had been going about his daily life in the Spring of 2024 – enjoying his many hobbies like tending to his garden, reading and taking care of his cat. “I have a very quiet life, which I prefer, because my life used to be very hectic,” he explained. 

In May, he made the annual trip to the VA hospital for routine screening, which included a low-dose CT scan for smokers and ex-smokers. Getting regular screenings, like the low-dose CT scan, helps find cancer early when it is most treatable. Michael, who was a smoker for 50 years and also inhaled smoke during his time in the military, had been getting tested for lung cancer at the VA for a few years. 

“The [screening] in March of 2023 showed fine,” he noted. 

However, this check-up would prove to be different. After the CT scan showed a spot in his lung and lymph node, Michael got a biopsy that revealed a lung cancer diagnosis. When most people receive a cancer diagnosis, the initial feeling is one of shock, anger and confusion. However, in Michael’s experience, he explains that his reaction was a little different: “My diagnosis was no surprise. My thoughts were, ‘What took so long?’ It wasn't a shock. I automatically accepted it.” 

Michael’s team at the VA connected him with Ascension All Saints Cancer Center in Racine. “From the first day I went into the cancer center, everyone was fantastic – it was a good feeling. People were upbeat,” he said. 

His cancer care team, led by oncologist Dr. Young Choi and radiation oncologist Dr. Lewis Rosenberg, explained to Michael what his treatment plan would look like: “Both of them decided on an aggressive treatment, and I said, ‘Please, let's be aggressive!” 

He credits his care team at Ascension All Saints Cancer Center for not only his excellent medical treatment, but for their attitudes throughout his journey: “The staff are so pleasant to be around,” he remarked. As Michael underwent chemotherapy and radiation, he chose not to focus on his own struggles. Instead, he found inspiration in brightening the lives of those around him, bringing smiles to everyone at the All Saints Cancer Center. “I don’t care if you’re a waitress, a waiter or a radiation tech – I always try to come in in a good mood, tell jokes and make people happy,” he said. “If I can keep my spirits up, the staff will pick up on it and their spirits will stay up. And if their spirits are up, the next customer (I don't like calling them patients) that comes in will pick up on the good mood that the staff is in.” 

Some of Michael’s favorite ways to do this include dressing up in costumes on treatment days, wearing pink fuzzy bunny slippers around the cancer center, and his favorite, giving out “Happy Pills,” which are little plush capsule-shaped toys with smiling facial expressions that laugh when you squeeze them.

 “Laughter is the best medicine, and it is contagious. Studies have shown that the immune system responds better when you're in a good mood. I'll be honest, I've had a couple of days where it was difficult. Chaplain Christie stopped by when I was having a tough day, and she asked me, ‘What happens when your teacup empties? Who fills it up?’ And I said, ‘The people around me fill it up.’ And that's where those little Happy Pills came into play,” he explained.

 Michael recalls being introduced to the Happy Pills by one of his radiation techs, who was showing it to her patients to keep them upbeat. When Michael saw this and the effect it had on patients, he went home and purchased dozens from Amazon to pass them out to people he met in his cancer journey. 

Michael recalls giving one to a young girl with a disability at a football game and witnessing her face light up with pure joy. In that moment, he realized he was onto something special. He shared the idea with his cancer care navigator, Beth, who then told Michael that she had given a Happy Pill to one of her depressed patients. After receiving it, the patient left the building laughing, a transformation that confirmed Michael’s belief in the power of his small gesture. “It's an inexpensive prescription. I always leave some with the staff just in case I'm not there and somebody is having a bad day and they encounter someone who really could use it.” 

Michael’s treatment journey isn't complete yet, and he remarks that his ability to stay strong and hopeful is due to finding reasons to smile, no matter what. “I will say I've been fortunate. I did not have a lot of the side effects that I've heard nightmare stories about, he admitted. “Maybe it is the humor. Who knows? I look at each day as a gift.” 

Michael remains a beacon of positivity and resilience, finding strength not in avoiding the challenges ahead, but in embracing each day with a little laughter. Michael will receive new imaging in December, which will hopefully reveal the progress of his treatment. The best Christmas gift he could receive is imaging that shows that his cancer is going away. 

No matter what the future holds, Michael plans to face it with humor, grace and a heart full of gratitude.

Learn more about lung cancer care.