Man travels across country to raise awareness of rare cancer that took daughter’s life

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    MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A man who’s traveling through all lower 48 states of the United States to raise awareness of a rare cancer is making his way through New Hampshire.

Dave Fleischer’s journey began May 20 in Salt Lake City. He said his mission is to raise awareness of cholangiocarcinoma, which took the life of his daughter, Sarah, in 2018.

Fleischer said not many people know about that form of bile duct cancer, which he called insidious.

“It seems to be the type of cancer that has reoccurrences even when there’s no evidence of the disease for a period of time,” he said.

So far, Fleischer has traveled about 5,500 miles, about one-third of his planned 15,000 miles in 40 days. He said there have been some interesting encounters.

“The buffalo that we had to watch out for that were roaming freely in one of the national parks I stopped at,” he said.

The trip will take him through the lower 48 states.

“I’ve met a lot of super people, and I’m up to 18 states now,” he said.

Fleischer passed through New Hampshire on his way to Hope, Maine, part of his goal to visit 15 places named Hope, reinforcing the theme of the trip.

“People do have a lot of hope for the future, and that’s what I’m trying to do on the trip,” he said.

He’s also trying to raise $45,000 for research into the cancer. He wears green sunglasses, and there is a tree on his shirt, both reminders of the cancer that took his daughter.

“Cholangiocarcinoma is bile duct cancer, which goes into the liver and it looks like the leaves on a tree, so that’s the green,” he said.

Fleischer said one thing he underestimated was how his journey would affect those currently with the disease. Many have reached out, hoping he’ll stop by.

“What it means to them is they’re not alone in their struggle and that they see the support that’s being given, so that’s been very powerful to me,” Fleischer said.

Anyone interested in contributing to Fleischer’s mission can text journeyofhope to 41444 or go to cholangiocarcinoma.org/journeyofhope.

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