The mercy medical angels logo is blue and white

Prostate Cancer Patient Finds Hope Through Charitable Flights

June 24, 2024
Prostate cancer patient after receiving treatment at Mayo Clinic, thanks to charitable flights

Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer

In late fall of 2023, Gerald was diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer. It had started spreading to his bones. But Gerald wasn't going to go down without a fight.


"It became my mission to find the best care possible," said Gerald. "I take care of my son and our dogs, and I have to stay alive for them."


Finding Care

Gerald dove into research to find the best possible care. He didn't just want to add years to his life; he also wanted to add life to his years. He also prayed about it.


Finally, he found out about Mayo Clinic's Prostate Cancer Center. "That would be the best place for me to receive care," said Gerald. "I found hope."



Hopes Dashed...

But as soon as Gerald reached for hope, it was dashed. Mayo Clinic was in Rochester, Minnesota - more than 1,540 miles away from his home in California. He couldn't afford to fly there, and driving that far was out of the question.


How would he keep up the fight against prostate cancer - let alone win?



...And Restored

That was when Gerald found out about Mercy Medical Angels. Mercy Medical Angels teamed up with the Hogan Family Foundation to cover the cost of round-trip flights to Mayo Clinic.


 "Without the help from Mercy Medical Angels and the Hogan Family Foundation," said Gerald, "I would not be able to fly to one of the top places in the world for advanced prostate cancer care." His hope - and health - were on the way to being restored.


"They Have Made Hope a Reality"

Gerald will need to go back for more treatment, checkups, and scans. But he's gaining ground in the battle against prostate cancer. His last appointment showed much of the cancer was in remission, and what remained had shrunk drastically.


"Being able to access treatment at Mayo Clinic has given me more hope than I could imagine," said Gerald. "Mercy Medical Angels and the Hogan Family Foundation are both amazing. They have made hope a reality."

Share this story with others.

Share your thoughts about this story.

Read More Patient Stories

Woman with cancer who received treatment at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida thanks to gas cards
By Stephanie Singer February 15, 2025
Her best shot at beating cancer was at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. But she couldn't afford the cost of driving there... until Mercy Medical Angels stepped in.
Cancer patient after receiving treatment at Cleveland Clinic, thanks to gas cards
By Stephanie Singer February 13, 2025
Read the story of a cancer patient who's winning her battles with help from charitable ground transportation... in her own words.
Man with multiple myeloma after receiving care, thanks to gas cards
By Stephanie Singer February 11, 2025
He was battling multiple myeloma, but couldn't afford the long drives to access treatment. Find out how Mercy Medical Angels helped him.
Patient with multiple rare diseases after receiving treatment
By Stephanie Singer February 8, 2025
Read the story of a patient with multiple rare diseases, who received help via gas cards... in her own words.
Child after receiving volunteer pilot's flight assistance for burn treatment
By Stephanie Singer February 1, 2025
Read how a young girl who suffered from burns accessed the care she needed to heal... in her family's words.
By Stephanie Singer January 29, 2025
By Stephanie Singer January 29, 2025
By Stephanie Singer January 29, 2025
Lung cancer patient driving to treatment, thanks to gas cards
By Stephanie Singer January 25, 2025
Read how a lung cancer patient is receiving the treatment she needs, thanks to gas cards... in her own words.
A patient getting to the care she needs, with help from Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic
By Stephanie Singer January 7, 2025
Ever wondered what happens when a patient receives transportation assistance from Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic? Wonder no longer.
More Posts
Share by: