Golf For A Cause - Mike's Mission Mike’s Mission. His own diagnosis inspired Mike Reynolds to help children fighting cancer. Mike Reynolds was informed he had leukemia in the fall of 2006. The initial feelings of numbness and uncertainty were overwhelming. Being diagnosed with an incurable but treatable disease left Mike and his wife, Toni, with a lot of despair, uncertainty, many questions and above all Hope. Right away, the battle began. Three different hospitals and three different doctors in two different states. Treatment included countless blood tests, CAT scans, bone marrow biopsies, surgery and six months of extensive and harsh chemotherapy. The most difficult part of the diagnosis was having to break the news to friends and family. It was more upsetting and painful for Mike to tell his children about his disease than it was for him to learn of his condition. Mike says, “The diagnosis is no worse than what it does to your family.” Reactions included, “Who will walk me down the aisle? Papa always takes us fishing and watches us play sports. I still haven’t beaten him at golf. Who will watch my boys?” Toni includes, “Mike has a couple of sisters who love their big brother and a father who thinks another child shouldn’t leave this earth before him.” As Mike and his family became better informed about leukemia, they were shocked by what they learned. Leukemia is the leading disease killer of children under 15. Every 10 minutes, someone dies of a blood-related cancer. There are 823,349 Americans presently living with leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease or myeloma. Mike remarks, “Until it lands in your lap, you’re not aware of the impact of this disease.” So began Mike’s Mission. As a way to fight back against cancer, fundraise and increase awareness of blood-related cancers, Mike and Toni have organized a golf tournament that takes place at Desert Canyon Golf Course in Mountain Home, Idaho each July. Toni says, “There are too many children affected, it truly breaks the hearts of too many families. We all have to help educate people and eradicate cancer.”