Feeling Plucky?

Welcome to Plucky Day, a publication by Heather Rose-Chase.

Heather is a storyteller and community architect who has lived abroad for most of her adult life with her husband Michael, two sons, and a tiny poodle named Lucy Rocket.

On Christmas Eve 2024 (Heather’s birthday), Michael was diagnosed with Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia (MPAL). Later he would test positive for a mutation called the Philadelphia Chromosome (Ph+). Both are rare and agressive, with a lack of solid research showing positive outcomes.

Michael spent most of 2025 in the hospital fighting for his life. He went through chemotherapy, radiation, a bone marrow transplant, surgery to remove his gallbladder, and a case of shingles so severe he was kept in isolation with sedating medications to help him get through the worst of it. He was admitted to the ICU in November with pnumonia and ultimately passed away on December 7, 2025 with Heather and their sons at his side. 

Plucky Day was born from a desire to courageously tell the story of this difficult season, free from the whims of social media algorithms, and to create an opportunity for people to join the journey through financial support and encouragement. We believed sharing the darkest moments of this journey would make it that much sweeter when Michael eventually won the battle, allowing us to celebrate together. Instead, we had to share funeral arrangements and deep sorrow.

It’s a terrifying prospect, facing the traumatic death of a beloved husband and father instead of planning for the next phase of your life together, not knowing what the next week may hold, let alone the next few years.

Curling up in a ball and pretending none of this is happening is an appealing solution, but only a very temporary one. The world keeps spinning, the bills keep arriving, and Lucy Rocket keeps demanding walks at regular intervals. We’ve discovered two truths. First, we must keep moving forward, whether we feel like it or not. And second, we need help to do that. Lots of help. 

Your subscription to Plucky Day will include updates, thoughts on living a courageous life, resources and points of connection, and the knowledge that you are directly supporting a family going through the darkest time of their lives. Consider it your personal invitation to keep going in the face of difficulty — we are not alone, and neither are you!

Thank you for joining Plucky Day. We are so grateful for your company!

Plucky Day is a subsidiary of Light Mountain Group, Ltd.