JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — October is National Cancer Awareness Month, and to help bring attention to the cause, one Jacksonville man is turning his pain into hope.
Michael Sickler is a two-time cancer survivor. Now, he’s preparing for his first ultra-marathon.
For Michael Sickler, running is everything.
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“Running is a form of therapy in a sense,” said Sickler. “It’s a blessing.”
However, in 2012, just two days before his senior year of high school, he got a call from his dad that stopped him in his tracks.
“We rolled up to Tallahassee Cancer Institute. My family was all there. I asked him if I had cancer, and a tear rolled down his cheek,” said Sickler. “It was kind of a surreal experience in all honesty.”
At just 18 years old, Michael was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia - a type of blood cancer. He underwent two months of treatment, and he was in remission 3 months later.
“I had a catheter on my chest for about four months,” said Sickler. “I wasn’t really allowed to be active, so once they removed that bad boy, it was off to the races.”
Then, in April 2024, his cancer returned. This time, as Acute Myeloid Leukemia. He was flown to Jacksonville and spent a month at Baptist Medical Center. In October 2024, he had to get a bone marrow transplant at the Mayo Clinic, and spent the next 100 days being treated.
However, throughout all the pain he endured, Michael had one goal on his mind. “I just wanted to get back and go running again,” he said.
He was again in remission this past February. Now, one year after his transplant, Michael is preparing for his first ultra marathon – a 50k or some 31 miles. A normal marathon is 26.2 miles. Michael has this message to anyone watching at home.
“You can go through hell and you can come out the other side swinging,” said Sickler.
Outside of the track, you can find Michael working at Trulieve, as he says medical cannabis really helped him during his cancer journey.
Michael’s race is on November 15th.
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