DAYTON (OH) — As most of you know, John Mad Dog Churan has been tackling multiple myeloma, a form of cancer that screws up your blood and brings you closer to religion not unlike other forms of cancer. Mad Dog has been corresponding with WHIO’s Steve Kerrigan, a fellow patriot of the multiple myeloma cancer war. The two have traded war stories and acted as a lean-to in recent weeks.

Many of you remember Steve way back in his WTUE days co-hosting the Kerrigan and Christopher morning show. I survived four years of HS listening to the two of them keep me entertained while standing in 10 below zero snowdrifts at the corner bus stop during the crack of dawn. Steve, like many of you, is a proud UD grad and follows the Flyers and UDPride very closely. His good friend and K-99.1 FM co-host Nancy Wilson — also a UD grad — has been hard at work raising money for the “Man and Woman of the Year” campaign for Leukemia/Lymphoma in honor of Steve. Nancy also co-hosts the pre-game Frickin Chicken Flyer Fan Club radio show on WHIO before every UD men’s home basketball game. There are only a few days left to help raise a lot of money for cancer prevention, treatment, and research. This is your chance to make a difference and do it on behalf of a fellow Flyer.

The Grand Finale Gala is on Friday with a silent auction. The big kahuna prize is breakfast with Brian Gregory. Other UD sports items are also up for auction, including a chance to work side-by-side Larry Hansgen as color man for one of WHIO’s UD football broadcasts.

Nancy had this to say:

Imagine you’re the parents of 5 year old Kade Wolf of Centerville, diagnosed with leukemia two years ago. You think, “Will he live to graduate?” “Will he live long enough to greet his bride as she walks down the aisle?” “Will he live to have children of his own?” Now imagine you’re Steve Kerrigan of Bellbrook, a 49 year old father of three, diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He thinks, “Will I live to see Sophie graduate?” “Will I live to walk Lucy down the aisle?” “Will I live to hold Aaron’s children in my arms?”

Steve Kerrigan is my morning show partner on K-99.1-FM. He’s also my dear friend. He’s adopted Tim McGraw’s song “Live Like You Were Dying” as his mantra, because the life expectancy of multiple myeloma patients is just five to seven years right now. Multiple myeloma is one of the most under-researched forms of blood cancer. Even though Kerrigan is in remission, he says “it’s time we find a cure.” I am proud to name Steve as my “hero” in my mission as a nominee for the “Man & Woman of the Year” fundraising campaign for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Dayton. Since its founding in 1949, the LLS has funded more than $483 million in blood cancer research and has been relentless in the pursuit of its mission: to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

I’m inviting you to “Fight Back with 5!” $5, $5,000 or anything in between will bring us that much closer to a cure. My personal goal is $50,000 by the beginning of June. If we make it, a research grant will be named in honor of Steve. Here’s how you can help:

We have all been touched by cancer, whether you are fighting the battle yourself or are fighting alongside someone who is. “Fight Back with 5!” Let’s take down blood cancers once and for all, for Kerrigan, for Kade and all the heroes like them, who want to meet their future grandchildren.

As publisher, I’m asking you to do what you can to make a difference for someone, Flyer fan or not. On behalf of Steve, John, and anyone else fighting the toughest battle of their lives.