Mike Ford was born in Schenectady, New York on Feb. 12, 1972.  He died Aug. 9, 2002 at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. 

Anyone who was privileged to have Mike in his or her life is better for knowing him.  This site is dedicated to his memory.  There are photos of Mike and his friends in happier times.  If you would like to share some, you can e-mail them to [email protected].  Also, please take time to read Mike’s eulogy, by Aaron Hull, and the story “The Butterfly’s Flight,” by Andy Mearns.

Find out how you can help Andy Mearns to raise money in Mike's memory when he runs the Boston Marathon on April 19, 2004 as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. For more details CLICK HERE.

MIKE'S STORY

Mike was raised in Niskayuna before going off to attend college at the State University of Buffalo.  He had worked as an engineer at General Electric Plastic in Selkirk, where he was also a volunteer EMT and had also worked with General Electric Distributed Power in Schenectady. 

He was an avid outdoorsman, active with the Adirondack Mountain Club, a former officer of the Schussmeisters Ski Club and remained active with the Boy Scouts after earning an Eagle Scout Award. Mike had been a chairman of the Schenectady District Twin Rivers Council Learning for Life Program and was the recipient of the Venturing Program Award in 2001. 

Mike was first diagnosed with leukemia in 1997 and went into remission.  When it came back in 2001, his doctors tried many types of chemotherapy to combat it.  Finally, his last option was a stem cell transplant, much like a bone marrow transplant.  His brother Jim was the donor. 

He was admitted to the hospital in Jan. 2002 and spent many months at the Brigham and Young Women's Hospital through Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 

He fought very hard.  His body rejected the new stem cells from his brother in various ways, mainly in his gastro-intestinal tract.  He would make progress --and even return home for short stays -- but then have setbacks. 

In July he started to do better and was able to go out in public at little more and eat whatever he wanted because his blood counts went up so well.  But suddenly, he somehow got a bacterial infection after being exposed to the listeria bacteria in something he ate.  Because he had a compromised immune system, he developed meningitis.  He was rushed back to Boston where he went into a coma.  The meningitis, and then pneumonia, quickly consumed him.

Contributions in Mike’s memory may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 6 Automation Lane, Albany, NY 12205.  Donations can also be made online by clicking here.