Michell Tschantz was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2003. After a 17 year battle with the disease, Mich passed away from COVID-19 related complications on April 15, 2020. He would not want to be defined by COVID-19, but rather we focus on the incredible scientific progress in the field of research in Multiple Myeloma. The MMRF and Myeloma scientific community gave him hope for 17 years with each emerging treatment breakthrough.

Mich was the consummate gentleman, entrepreneur and small business owner for over 30 years, married to the love of his life, Jeanne, for 50 years. Mich and Jeanne enjoyed a wonderful life together, traveling, socializing and playing golf with friends. Mich’s success at battling Multiple Myeloma exceeded his results in his struggle with his golf clubs - and thus Jeanne always had a far better handicap!

Mich’s daughter, Kelly, was the other great love of his life and she was his staunch ally in the fight against Multiple Myeloma. He is also survived by his son-in-law, Greg Butz; grandchildren Caroline and Trevor Butz; nephew Gregory Gilbert, his wife Julia Gilbert, and their children Piper Michell Gilbert and Reed Gilbert.

Mich was fluent in the languages of business, politics, science and the arts, and loved to discuss his most recent business project. He was the definition of work ethic and hustle. Mich was passionate about many things and lived life to its fullest. His easy going nature, warmth and conversation skills allowed him to befriend all he met, and create a lasting impression. He found joy in small things and never wavered in his optimism.

Mich will be incredibly missed by his family and friends. His legacy will be the positive and lasting impact that he had on the lives of so many people, and the overwhelming love we will always have for him.

Mich’s Multiple Myeloma was managed in NYC at Mount Sinai Hospital, by the incredible Dr. Sundar Jagannath and his team. A true partner with Mich throughout his entire 17 year journey, Dr. Jagannath was there for every step and a close advisor and friend even as Mich battled COVID-19 in his final days. He was also supported by Dr. Dickerman Hollister, nurses and staff at Greenwich Hospital where he received weekly therapeutic interventions for the past 2.5 years.






About the MMRF:
A pioneer in precision medicine, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) seeks to find a cure for all multiple myeloma patients by relentlessly pursuing innovations that accelerate the development of precision treatments for cancer. Founded in 1998 by Kathy Giusti, a multiple myeloma patient, and her twin sister Karen Andrews as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the MMRF has created the business model around cancer—from data to analytics to the clinic. The MMRF identifies barriers and then finds the solutions to overcome them, bringing in the best partners and aligning incentives in the industry to drive better outcomes for patients. Since its inception, the organization has collected thousands of samples and tissues, opened nearly 100 trials, helped bring 11 FDA-approved therapies to market, and built CoMMpass, the single largest genomic dataset for any cancer. Today, the MMRF is building on its legacy in genomics and is expanding into immune-oncology, as the combination of these two fields will be critical to making precision medicine possible for all patients. The MMRF has raised nearly $500 million and directs nearly 90% of the total funds to research and related programs. To learn more, visit themmrf.org.