Mike Seelye: ‘I’m ready to start my life’

SVHS senior overcame ?cancer and Senior Project crunchtime|

Mike Seelye will walk with a full head of hair and a high school diploma this year, and plans to continue going to school to become a nurse practitioner.

He had his first scan a few weeks ago, and everything came back clear,

“I’m officially cancer-free,” says the Sonoma Valley High School senior. “I feel really good - healthy. My biggest objective is eating good.”

Seelye, 17, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last year, after feeling a lump in his neck.

He says he knew right away it was bad news.

His mother, Kelly Seelye, received the same Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis eight years ago. She’s now in full remission.

Seeley has to go through scans every three months to check for more cancers.

He returned to Sonoma Valley High once again in late March to complete his senior year and graduate with the rest of his class. Every senior at SVHS has to do a senior project; Mike completed the entire process – a year-long affair for every other senior – in just the two months he’s been back.

Now, he plans to go to Santa Rosa Junior College, complete his general education requirements and transfer to another school (he’s eyeing U.C. Berkeley) to pursue a degree in biology and become a nurse practitioner.

Last year, Seeley told the Index-Tribune he wanted to pursue a career in acting, but going through his ordeal changed him.

“Acting will always be a passion of mine,” he says, and he plans to minor in acting; however, his career goals have changed. “I want a job where I can help people.”

Seelye says going through cancer had everything to do with his change of heart.

“I hate that I had it. I hate that I had to go through what I’m going through; but I’m grateful for it,” he says. “Cancer was the death of the old me and the birth of the new.”

Now, Seelye is all about helping other people – even when it comes to his hair.

“My hair came back curly! My hair was so straight. I’m growing it out 13 inches to donate,” he says.

His experiences – going through chemotherapy, the town’s support and seeing younger kids go through cancer – made him realize a new appreciation for the people around him and everything he has.

“(Chemotherapy) takes something away from you. It takes away any sort of strength you have and leaves you a feeling of utter weakness,” he says.

Hearing Seelye recount his experiences has a sobering effect.

He talks about the young children at the hospital he was with. They were going through the same thing he was – and they gave him strength.

“It was absolutely astonishing. It made me realize how everyone takes everything for granted,” Seelye says. “I’ll always remember, no matter what, there’s always people going through what I did. That will always humble me.”

Now, with the school year nearing an end, Seelye is preparing for college.

He received three scholarships and awards at the SVHS Senior awards on May 18. He says he was surprised to win anything, as he did not apply for any scholarships.

He won the Nicole Kruljac Memorial Award, the Ann Hardy Donnelley Scholarship and the Ron Singer Drama Award. Over the course of four years, he’ll receive up to $2,800 to help pay for school.

Seelye says he appreciates everyone’s support – the school, the town and even the county. Last year, a Go Fund Me page, created to support Seelye and his family, received over $40,000. He doesn’t forget to give back, however. Beside his plan to donate hair and to become a nurse practitioner, his senior project raised funds to help a friend who is also fighting cancer, raising about $1,000 in just two weeks.

“At the end of the day, it’s not what you do for yourself, but what you do for other that defines you,” he says, something he realized while undergoing treatment.

Seelye refers to his experiences, chemo, having to finish school and his senior project in two months, etc., as his trials, and he’s always determined to finish them.

“I’m ready to start my life,” he says.

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