Cancer Survivor Pat Malone Stands 24 Hours for 12th Year

Pat Malone knows exactly what it feels like to wake up from life-saving cancer surgery, and that's why he refuses to sit down.

Starting at 4:26 p.m. today at Pork Barrel BBQ in Alexandria, Virginia, the 68-year-old Air Force veteran will stand for 24 hours straight to raise money for cancer research. It's his 12th year doing it, and he's not slowing down.

The time isn't random. At 4:26 p.m. in 2014, Malone woke up from surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where doctors had just removed a hockey puck-sized tumor from his shoulder. He considers it his second birthday.

"There's people we all know who are battling cancer, who can't stand up, who can't walk, who might be bedridden," Malone told ALXnow. "This is my way of paying a personal homage to everybody who's fighting the fight."

Over 11 years, Malone has raised more than $100,000 for cancer research. Standing might not sound hard, but Malone also battles hereditary spastic paraplegia, which makes standing for long periods increasingly difficult. He keeps moving, walking around and chatting with supporters to keep his energy up.

This year marks the first time the fundraiser is happening in Alexandria instead of Arlington. Malone's friend since the 1980s, Mike Anderson, co-owns the barbecue restaurant and jumped at the chance to host. Local supporters plan to stop by throughout the night to cheer him on.

Why This Inspires

Nearly half of men and one in three women will face cancer in their lifetimes. Malone didn't just survive his battle, he survived 29 rounds of radiation treatment and turned his second chance into a mission to help others.

He asks for donations of $26 to honor his 4:26 p.m. second birthday. Even as his own health challenges grow, he keeps showing up year after year because he remembers what it's like to be the person who can't stand.

His $1 million fundraising goal might sound ambitious, but after 12 years of refusing to give up, betting against Pat Malone seems like a bad idea.