Dana Vance

Have you ever felt awkward and alone at a gathering knowing no one and wishing you could just have one person talk to you and make you feel welcomed?  Meet Dana. She's the person who walks up to the new person in the room welcoming them with her glorious smile and makes them feel like the most important person invited to the gathering.

She has the gift of seeing into the heart and soul of everyone she meets and making your day better for your encounter with her touch, her giggle, and her compliment of what she noticed was special in you.

Unique from her birth as a 4 pound "premie" and a fighter throughout her life with a 5" twist in her spine resulting in a 4'11" height and lifelong back pain; she earned the nickname "Scoop" for her softball prowess as a child; fluid movement on a dance floor to any and all music; creativity in poetry, composition, art, and the always get the entire room laughing storytelling loved by all.  There are few like her.

And, there are few who endured more physical suffering two years ago as she faced Stage IIIB Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Nine dense dose chemo infusions with extreme side effects resulted in several days in Intensive Care Units. But, remarkably, Dana worked everyday as a 5th grade teacher throughout her treatments. She worked everyday of her 35 radiations which blackened her skin from her chest through her back.  And, she returned to work 7 days after her double mastectomy. Never complaining, never letting her colleagues, students, friends or family know how much pain she was in day in and day out.  She fought the knowledge that Triple Negative Breast Cancer recurs in 85% of it's victims. Dana is now in that 85 percentile.  Her breast cancer has metasized to her brain, lungs and bones.  The largest brain tumor sits on her brain stem which presents such an immediate danger that she agreed to treatment on her "Beautiful Mind" with full brain radiation.  The side effects are significant. Simultaneously, during the brain radiation she is dealing now with advancing bone cancer and airway passages which are being closed by tumors in her both of her lungs. 

She needs your help.  The medical bills are staggeringly high. Deductibles, full insurance costs, medicines, and loss of paychecks from her beloved teaching career mounting burdens to this loving, giving, and uniquely special young woman.  Any contribution you are comfortable giving helps. These past two weeks Dana has been overwhelmed by the generosity of all who have already given to her fund. Due to side effects of her treatments she has been unable to thank everyone personally; but, wants you to know she has been touched and helped by your caring and support.  We who love her so profoundly also thank you.