My wife, Donna, and I first met Tony McEachern on the evening of August 21, 2015 while we were awaiting my second brain surgery in less than two months.

Dr. Kyle Ruffing, my Neurologist, asked us if he could contact Tony to have him call. He did more than call, he came to visit.

At that point in time a huge whirlwind that we found ourselves in suddenly got small and personal. Tony quickly shared his life experiences over the past 12 years. We learned that Tony has been battling a brain tumor and all the treatments, seizures, travels that go along with it which was exactly what Donna and I had ahead of us. We would go on to share the same doctors at Duke University; the same access to clinical trials; and, the same local oncology group, Florida Cancer Specialists.

We also learned that through Team Tony, we had access to seminars, bowling nights, and Sunday Morning Walk and Talks. It is great to be able to meet, talk and socialize with others who share similar experiences at different stages of their journey.

Team Tony, and Tony in particular has been invaluable in providing me a one on one forum in which I can ask questions, discuss “what’s next”, or just talk. One of my favorite parts of the Team Tony experience is how he has managed to involve not only my wife and I, but my whole family from my mom & dad here in Sarasota, to my two daughters in North Carolina and Maine. In fact, Donna and I will be joining my daughters and their families as we participate with Team Tony in the 23rdAnnual Angels Among Us Walk/Run supporting the Preston Robert Tisch Brian Tumor Center at Duke.

We look forward to continuing our involvement with Team Tony not only as cancer fighters but as one-on-one mentors for many years to come.