Not wasting a moment

Mike Fisher never wants to see a Cold Cut Combo again.

Mike and a group of mentors and supporters paddle-surfed for 50 miles from Malibu to Huntington Beach last week. In between jumping out of the boat to paddle for 10-mile swaths of their oceanic journey, Mike and his four teammates scarfed down vast quantities of the Subway sandwiches for protein and energy.

The expedition was a dream for Mike, 17, who suffered a seizure in September and then discovered he had a golf ball-sized, Stage 3 cancerous brain tumor. Since its removal, Mike has been treated at the Burzynski Clinic in Houston.

“There are some downs, but the ups are way better than the downs,” Mike said.

The paddle-surf trip culminated in a fundraiser for him at Duke’s. The Fishers opted for nontraditional treatment. Their decision, which includes Mike taking more than 40 pills a day, is not covered by insurance — and costs upward of $12,000 a month.

Mike, an avid member of the Huntington Beach High School surf team, arrived with his teammates near the pier May 27.

“The alarm clock went off at about 2:30 a.m.,” Mike said.

From there, the group drove to Malibu and battled with boat malfunctions before setting off.

“Once you get out of your comfort zone, it’s easy,” Mike said of the 50-mile voyage. “All the guys just really pushed it. We cheered each other on and ate Subway sandwiches nonstop . . . But the best part was coming down here and seeing everyone support us.”

The adventure last week was the latest in a string of fundraisers and celebrations for Mike in what’s been a tumultuous nine months.

“We could never have done all this without the support of our community,” his mother, Nancy Fisher, said. “Everyone who meets him loves him.”

Mike was first visible from the shoreline as he paddled around the pier in bright reddish-pink trunks.

Dozens of people cheered him and his “Operation Paddle” teammates on as they made their way to the shore.

Mike has paddled to Newport Beach and back, but this was a bigger task for him, he said.

“My arms are like Jell-O now,” Mike said. “I froze this morning in these trunks. I was going to wear a wetsuit, but then I figured I would wear something pink, kind of for breast cancer.”

After hugs and celebration, the group disbanded to shower and rest before a fundraising party at Duke’s.

But Mike’s dream isn’t fully quenched. He plans to paddle-surf to Catalina by himself in the near future.

“One man, 25 miles, one day,” Mike said. “There’s just not enough time for me to waste it.”

At least one family member wouldn’t put it past him.

“I’m just so proud of him,” Nancy Fisher said. “Whatever he says he’ll do, he does.”

For information on Mike and future fundraisers, visit savemikeshead.org.

Reporter CANDICE BAKER can be reached at (714) 966-4631 or at candice.baker@latimes.com.