NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When you’re in your mid 20s, you’re just getting started with your life. The last thing you’re thinking about is death. But that’s exactly what one group of friends was forced to do and now they’re trying to help others through similar struggles. And they’re honoring their friend who succumbed to his disease.
Mike Corte was just 26 when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Despite some initial positive news, things took a bad turn. He was just 28 years old when he was told he had five weeks to live. His friends were shocked.
“He had the greatest sense of humor,” said Misti King, “he had a creative spark about him, always a positive attitude.”
“He wasn’t feeling good, had a lot of bloody noses and thought he had the flu. He went to the dentist, they saw he had a low platelet count so they sent him to the hospital immediately,” said Lindsey Josephine, “we were like ‘does this even happen to people our age?'”
“You really have no idea what can happen to you and it was a huge eye opener,” says Courtney Apple.
Mike was an artist and a musician, so after he died his friends came together for a small benefit in his honor for the Lymphoma Leukemia Society.
“It helped with our grief,” said Apple, “we wanted to help others who were suffering from this.”
But now this idea that started small is taking off like they never expected. The Screenland Armor is donating space for next week’s benefit called “Can(cer*vive) KC.” It’s local bands and artists all working together to raise money for someone they don’t even know, a total stranger. They worked with North Kansas City hospital to find a young cancer victim, just like Mike.
“Because when you’re battling for your life, the last thing you want to worry about is money,” said King.
“We never met him we just want to help any way we can,” said Josephine.
The friends say it’s their way of honoring Mike’s battle and help others with their fight.
“We just want to be there and show them they have other people rooting for them in their corner,” said King, “they may not know it but everyone wants them to beat this.”
The Can(cer*vive) KC benefit is Friday, March 29 at the Screenland Armour theater.
For more information, head to their Facebook page
