Mission

The Michael H. Flanagan Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization founded in 2002 by Michael’s family. Michael was diagnosed at age 19 with leukemia and fought a battle which many others continue to face on a daily basis. Our mission is to comfort Bone Marrow Transplant and Leukemia induction patients and their families, and enhance the patients’ quality of life.

Michael’s Story

Michael Playing BaseballMichael was a sophomore at Providence College when he was diagnosed with leukemia. During his three year battle with the disease, as part of his treatments, he underwent two bone marrow transplants. Michael spent weeks and sometimes months in isolation while he struggled with complications, waiting for his new immune system to develop. Throughout this difficult time, Michael strived to live a life of courage, integrity and faith.

To keep Michael’s memory alive, his family decided to create a foundation. It is our goal to provide comfort and support to other patients and their families who are faced with this same difficult journey. Comfort Bags and Capital Projects such as the Family Room and Infusion Chairs are some of the ways this organization fulfills their mission.

Michael received the very best in medical and nursing care at both Miriam Hospital in RI and Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and we are proud to partner with these hospitals to help other leukemia patients.

Michael’s parents, Kathy and Michael were featured in an interview for the Ten Year Celebration of the Cam Neely Foundation. http://www.youtube.com/neelyfoundation

Courage, Faith, Integrity

Janice Maienza, RN, MSN Clinical Educator, Tufts Medical Center

I would like you to understand the tremendous contributions this young man made to the nurses and entire health care team at Tufts-New England Medical Center. We learned so much from Michael. Imagine being a 23 years old, young and robust, confined to one room for 6 months. Every body fluid is measured and every symptom investigated. Privacy is respected but compromised.

After a while, Michael had enough. He taught us what was necessary and what was unnecessary, and yes, some things he could actually do himself. He wanted his private time and asked us to respect that. His friends visited and he tried hard to sustain these relationships. He played his guitar with his Dad and enjoyed his many CD’s. His family brought him movies and magazines and provided comfort in every way. He talked to his family and told them what he wanted and how to live on if the transplants were unsuccessful. For 6 months, we learned from this wonderful family how to cope and grieve when losing your son, brother, uncle.

The mission of the Foundation is “to comfort bone marrow transplant patients and their families”. Michael taught us and continues to teach us how.