He credits his wife with insisting he get it checked out, and his colonoscopy revealed stage 3 colon cancer.
Shortly thereafter, he began treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy. The regimen was difficult and included numerous side effects. After treatment, Captain Mulqueen realized that he could no longer do the job he loved during his 16-year career, and he retired in 2015. He has since focused on restoring his health with regular exercise, acupuncture, and a healthy diet.
Captain Mulqueen credits his medical team at Memorial Sloan Kettering and his FDNY Cancer Care Team, especially Dr. Ellen Koffler and nurse case manager Geraldine Kelly, for providing ongoing support. All of his cancer care was provided through the WTC Health Program at no cost to him.
“Every day is a gift.”
He reminds everyone to stay on top of their own health, pay attention to symptoms or changes in the body, and act on them. He encourages everyone to participate in cancer screening; the WTC Health Program provides a wide range of screening tests, including colonoscopies. Mike continues to come in for his annual WTC Medical Monitoring exam and is thankful every day for the support of his wife, family, and FDNY Cancer Care Team.
