St. John's man raising money for cancer charities while living with Stage 4 Thymoma

Soon after getting the news he had only six months to live, a St. John's man with cancer was given a camera and decided to spread some positivity — while raising money for cancer charities — with his dog at his side.

Mike Mahoney was diagnosed with Thymoma in 2019, a cancer that affects the thymus gland. 

He said it started when he thought he'd torn something in his shoulder.

"We tried 17 different ways from Sunday to try and figure out a way to subside the pain and it just kept on going up and up and up," he told CBC Radio's The St. John's Morning Show.

When asked by doctors to rate his pain on a one to 10 scale, he said he ranked it at 15.

"If you tell them 15, they don't like that," he said.

Then, a biopsy was ordered. A day later — on his birthday — Mahoney said he got another call from his doctor to tell him it was cancer.

"Toughest conversation I think I've ever had," he said.

Initially, Mahoney was given six months to live. But, he said, he doesn't dwell on that.

"When we were sitting in that office and he said six months and I said, 'OK, well, this is an interesting challenge.'"

Staying positive

Mahoney underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his chest. Radiation treatments followed, but the cancer had spread to his liver, diaphragm and right lung.

Another surgery was needed. In May, a new scan showed new "spots" of cancer. Mahoney resumed chemotherapy, which finished in October.

"Everything worked, but there's a couple of other spots that they're looking at that didn't respond and shrink as well as other ones did," he said.

Despite this diagnosis hanging over his head for almost six years, Mahoney said his goal is to stay positive.

"I always try and hold a couple of good thoughts. You try and find things to kind of pick you up. Whatever you need, whatever works," he said.

That's where photography and inspiration step in.

Mahoney's wife, Coralee, got him a camera to take photos while out on walks with their dog Touton.

He shares those photos, along with inspirational messages, on social media under the handle Touton Takes. He's also selling cards and calendars as part of a fundraiser.

"Basically whatever money I make from that, like, all of it goes back to the Princess Margaret Windsor Cancer Centre and the Dollar a Day Foundation here," he said.

'Small things make a big difference'

Mahoney now lives in Windsor, Ont. and is living with Stage 4 cancer and going through treatment.

He said he has a strong network of support and is in regular contact with his family.

"Small things make a big difference and it takes away from the other big things that you're worrying about," he said.

He says when he's extremely tired, binge watching television can be "a lovely thing."

"It's OK if you're down or tired, right? Trying to push through when you're tired, it's the way of life," he said.

"A little bit of Son of the Critch does the heart good, right, whenever possible. Trying to play with my dog — god love Touton — and Coralee has always been a great support."

He said his wife is a rock and he isn't going through cancer alone.

"I'm not done yet," Mahoney said. "That's what a friend of mine said and he said I got more I must have more work to do."

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