Annapolis Non-Profit Aims To Help Cancer Patients

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Not every cancer patient can afford to obtain a second option about his or her health status and options, but thanks to the Mike Shane Memorial Fund, that's now possible. Shane passed away April 2019 after a year-long battle with cholangiocarcinoma. He was able to afford a second opinion, but that's not the case for everyone.

The fund was established by Purview, a global healthcare technology company, which is working with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a top cancer care center, and PinnacleCare, a personal healthcare advisory firm, to provide remote second opinion consultations for patients in need.

“We believe everyone deserves a second opinion,” said Purview CEO Les Trachtman. “Mike was blessed with the resources to get a second opinion on his cancer, but we know that’s not the case for everyone. Second opinions can be critical when challenged with a deadly disease like cholangiocarcinoma.”

The company has teamed up with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to provide a second opinion consultation to qualifying grant recipients. PinnacleCare has also agreed to support this effort by facilitating the patient’s health information delivery to Memorial Sloan Kettering.

"We are proud to partner with Purview to provide critical second opinions for patients in need through the Mike Shane Memorial Fund,” said Elizabeth Lax, director of client experience at PinnacleCare. “By bringing our services and expertise together, we believe we can make a significant impact in many people's lives.”

The Mike Shane Memorial Fund and Purview have raised more than $25,000 since launching in early August 2019. The fund plans to continue raising funds and awareness in order to help more patients get a potentially life-changing second opinion. The Mike Shane Memorial Fund is an all-volunteer tax-exempt nonprofit enabling them to donate 100 percent of the money raised to the fund.