The Mike Shane Memorial Fund is a charity that pays for remote second opinions for people who have been diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer. The fund was established in honor of the founder’s long time friend, Mike Shane, who battled cholangiocarcinoma. Mike traveled to obtain a second opinion on his diagnosis and treatment options but understood that many patients do not have the time or money to access the care he received. The Mike Shane Fund aims to bring this care to those who would not otherwise receive it, in honor of Mike, through funding remote second opinions.
What is an RSO and how does it work?
Remote second opinions, or RSOs, are a method of obtaining a second opinion from a top hospital or specialist from the comfort of your home - no travel involved l. The Mike Shane Memorial Fund chose RSOs because we believe everyone deserves a second opinion, and we have a number of hospital partners who offer this service to MSMF’s grant recipients. MSMF pays the hospital directly for the cost of your RSO, and the hospital’s RSO team handles the rest- collecting your records and curating your RSO to be sure you get the best result possible.
How can I apply for a grant and receive an RSO?
The application process is quite simple! First, be sure that you meet our eligibility criteria.
Once you confirm that you have met the criteria above, you can then complete the patient application on the Mike Shane Memorial Fund Website. This is when you will choose your MSMF partner hospital. We at MSMF are not medical professionals and will not make hospital recommendations for you unless your only criterion for the decision is geography. We suggest you speak to someone with expertise in cholangiocarcinoma who can help guide you in choosing the best hospital for your RSO. We can make recommendations for mentors if needed.
Once the patient application is completed, you will receive an automated email letting you know we’ve received your application. A member of our team will follow up within 24 hours with a patient information form and the hospital patient service agreement. We don’t need details of your medical history, your scans, or any other medical information, just the diagnosis.
When all items are completed and sent to us, we will then send them to the hospital for evaluation. At this point, the hospital will take over communication with you. Once the RSO is completed, the hospital will invoice MSMF - you will never receive a bill for your remote second opinion.
At the completion of your RSO you may receive a phone call from one of the volunteers at MSMF to discuss the application process and your overall experience. If you would allow us to publish your “story” on our website, (anonymously or including only your first name and city) we would be most grateful. Our goal is to offer remote second opinions to as many cholangiocarcinoma patients as possible and in sharing your story, we will be able to spread the word about the fund!
How is MSMF funded and how can I get involved?
We are completely donor-funded as well as a tax-exempt charity, donations from our community are what keeps us going! If you’ve received an RSO through the Mike Shane Memorial Fund and want to pay it forward, or simply want to help us provide remote second opinions to those in need, donations can be made here. We are endlessly grateful for your support!