A man wearing glasses and a blue blazer stands outside Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital, with the hospital entrance visible in the background.

A second chance at life for Mikk Jogi

After being told he had nine to 18 months to live, Mikk is celebrating milestones he never thought possible.

Facing an unimaginable diagnosis

Mikk Jogi’s cancer journey began innocently enough with a cough and a cold in November 2016. He didn’t think much of it. It was the time of year when many people get sick except the cough wouldn’t go away.

By the new year, Mikk was having trouble swallowing. Food was getting stuck in his esophagus. His doctor sent him for a scope at Oak Valley Health’s Markham Stouffville Hospital (MSH). He remembers waking up from the procedure and the doctor showing him a picture of something concerning on the screen.

“The expression on her face spoke volumes,” he recalls. “This was something very serious.”

In March 2017, Mikk was diagnosed with stage 4 gastro-esophageal cancer with a 5-year survival rate of less than five per cent. Mikk had just nine to 18 months to live.

Photos by David White

Striking gold at MSH

In the early days of Mikk’s cancer journey he learned something valuable — he had a remarkable care team at MSH. His oncologist, Dr. Mateya Trinkaus, was determined to give him as much time as possible to spend with his loved ones. Mikk trusted her completely.

One week after his initial diagnosis, Mikk started bleeding internally. Dr. Trinkaus didn’t waste a moment. She started him on iron infusions and sent him for radiation treatment at a partnering hospital to stop the bleeding. Thanks to her quick action, Mikk was able to start chemotherapy treatment at MSH just two weeks later.

Six days after his first chemotherapy treatment, Mikk was having Easter dinner with his family when he noticed something unexpected. He could swallow more easily. Food was no longer getting stuck the way it had before. The treatment was working.

“Could it really have worked that fast?” he wondered.

A previous biopsy had revealed that Mikk’s tumor was HER2 positive, something quite uncommon for stomach cancers. This meant that he could receive targeted therapy that ultimately gave him a chance to survive. Mikk’s care team told him he was among a handful of people worldwide to respond so well to treatment.

“I can’t praise Dr. Trinkaus enough for her expertise and thorough care,” says Mikk.

When Dr. Trinkaus went on maternity leave, Mikk was cared for by oncologist, Dr. Sam Babak, who turned out to be just as kind and talented. “I can’t believe I struck gold twice,” he says.

Mikk also credits the incredible nurses in The Shakir Rehmatullah Cancer Centre whom he describes as “some of the most compassionate people I’ve ever met.” They have continued to be there for Mikk in every way, just like his two oncologists.

It’s one thing to be told you have cancer. It’s quite another to learn, at age 52, that the life you love is coming to an end.

Mikk Jogi

A new appreciation for life’s moments

Nine years after his diagnosis, Mikk has watched his children graduate from university, celebrated two of their weddings and, just this August, became a grandfather.

“In 2017, when I was diagnosed, I never expected to be here for any of that,” says Mikk.

Now, Mikk only visits MSH’s Cancer Centre every five weeks for maintenance treatment using a HER2-targeted drug that was discovered shortly after he was diagnosed.

As he reflects on how far he has come, Mikk has a new appreciation for the time he gets to spend with his family. “Every day is a good day, no matter how bad it is.”

Making miracles possible

While Mikk’s care remains as exceptional as ever, the Cancer Centre has grown much busier over the past decade, with all its chemotherapy chairs full on most days.

“I’d like every donor to know that every contribution, no matter how big or small, is a tremendous help to the Cancer Centre,” says Mikk.

Mikk knows firsthand how important community support is to ensure that life-saving equipment and treatments are available to people like him.

“I remember when MSH first opened. It was surrounded by a cornfield. This is the special place where I held my three children for the first time. It’s where I said a last goodbye to my mother-in-law. And, of course, MSH is where I found my second chance at life.”

This holiday season, we hope MSH can count on your support. Your special donation will go twice as far thanks to the generosity of Sky Wellness Clinic.

Your gift will make double the impact by supporting the purchase of the life-saving equipment featured in the “Life’s Moments” Holiday Equipment Wishlist and the hospital’s highest priority needs.

Please give today. Your gift can make miracles happen.