The Next Mission
In January 2020, I stood at a crossroads. After nearly 13 years with a company I loved, I made the difficult decision to leave and embark on a new journey – one born from loss and a promise.
My wife Jennifer and I had been together for 27 years and we thought we had at least 30 more ahead of us. Instead, we had just 82 days from her Stage 4 cancer diagnosis to her passing. She was only 55.
The suddenness and brutality of Jen's illness left our family reeling. But even in her final days, facing "exquisite pain," Jen's compassion and hope shone through. She wanted our unexpected, wrenching experience to mean something.
You see, Jen's disease was virtually silent until it was too late. Just before she died, she gave me a mission: to help others like her.
“Do you think you can use analytics to help people like us?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” I answered. “But I promise I’ll try.”
That promise became my guiding light and the driving force behind SynapseDx. Having spent nearly 13 years at Avanade, where I served my clients as a Business Intelligence Solution Developer, then Global Lead for Advanced Analytics and finally Global Lead for Analytics Advisory, I knew the power of data and AI. My experience leading large, diverse teams of hundreds of talented and committed people and delivering impactful results for global clients had prepared me for this challenge. At Avanade, I honed my skills in quickly translating complex ideas into business value scenarios with measurable impact. Now, it’s time to apply this expertise to a new, personal mission.
I recognize the enormity of this task. I'm unsure if I'll make even the tiniest of dents. But I will try. Because "I will" is infinitely more powerful than "I wish" or “I promise.”
We're not just going to build another healthcare technology company with SynapseDx. We're on a mission to evolve care through AI-powered common sense. Our goal is to create a world where no one ever again hears the devastating words, "If only we'd caught this sooner".
We're developing groundbreaking products that integrate diverse data sources, leverage AI and machine learning, and provide rapid, accurate health assessments. Our aim is to catch the whispers of illness before they become shouts – to give families like mine better outcomes.
This journey isn't just about technology. It's about people. It's about giving families more time together. It's about reducing the physical, emotional, and financial burdens of late-stage diagnoses. It's about fulfilling the promise I made and maybe, just maybe, transforming that promise into hope for countless others.
As we build SynapseDx, I carry with me the lessons of love, compassion, and determination that Jen embodied. Her spirit infuses everything we do, driving us to innovate, to care deeply, and to never stop pushing for better, earlier diagnoses.
To everyone who joins us on this journey – whether as a team member, partner, or supporter – thank you. Together, we have the power to change the narrative of disease detection and to give hope to millions of families around the world.
This is our path forward. It's challenging. It's ambitious. But with your support, it's within our reach.
Let's make a difference that will be felt for generations to come.
Onward!
Michael Isaac
Founder & CEO, SynapseDx
