Dancing Diane's Battle with Cancer

Hi, I am starting this GoFundMe for my mom who has been battling one of the most aggressive forms of cancer known.

Most of you know her as "Dancing Diane" from her time teaching early learning through the arts to children all around the valley. Some of you might know her as the dancer with the long hair or the crazy lady that wears tie-dye and bright colors all the time. But, no matter how you know her, she is known as one of the most loving, caring, happy, energetic, creative, passionate, and giving people they have ever met.

In November 2021, Diane was taken into the emergency room at St. Joseph's hospital in Phoenix, AZ when she was unable to speak and respond verbally. After doing an MRI, they let us know that they found a mass about the size of a lemon on the front left lobe of her brain and recommended removing it as soon as possible because the pressure it was putting on her brain was causing her to have seizures. Once the tumor was removed they would have to do more testing to see if the tumor was benign or malignant.

Testing came back and it was determined that the tumor was a glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is a very aggressive type of cancer that can be found in the brain or spinal cord. About 3 in 100,000 people develop the disease per year. The average age at diagnosis is 64, and the disease occurs more commonly in males than females.

In December 2021, she started chemo and radiation therapy to help fight the return of the tumor. She was able to return to work in a limited capacity while she continued her treatments over the next 6 months.

She was doing great until July when she went in for her routine MRI and they found that some of the tumor had returned and that the chemo and radiation treatments were no longer working. A month later she went in for her second surgery to remove the mass.

Since the second surgery, she has not been able to work and Mark (Husband) has also been unable to work since he is her main caretaker. The funds raised from this will be used to pay for their medical bills, mortgage, utility bills, groceries and any additional resources to assist with their daily living.

My parents are usually the ones making donations or giving to others and they would never feel comfortable doing this on their own. I know this will help them tremendously and will mean the world to them! Thank you!