Fundraiser for Dalene Nickelson by Gilyan N.

To our beloved community,

our family has been taking in some very sensitive news regarding our Moms health and we feel the urgency to share with everyone as a whole.

For about 6-9 months our mom, Dalene has been experiencing a significant, unexplained weight loss and associated pain in various places. After a week of deep blood testing and a CT scan in the first week of August, we have received the results that Dalene has metastasized Liver, spleen & bone Cancer. We are reeling from this news and mobilizing swiftly for further testing and treatments.

We are in queue for an oncology appointment, a PET scan for chest and head as well as a biopsy that we are trying to fast track to understand the “staging” of this cancer. Already knowing it has spread we are moving quickly. These are both scheduled for next week in Ukiah, unless we can get an immediate referral to UCSF this week.

Dalene is currently experiencing a hard time walking with any pressure on her left leg due to a mass in her hip socket and eating is a chore as she can only take in so much at one time. Further details will come with the pending tests and that will bring into focus our best treatment pathways. Family has been here this week assisting, organizing and getting her to appointments and laughing as much as we can.

As many know, Dalene is a consummate source of goodness, strength, creativity, and love in the Ukiah Valley and every community she inhabits. While solo raising her two daughters, she was every team’s parent, every field trip’s chaperone; every dance’s decorations leader, and just a fiercely loving and present mother. During her 20+ years in service at Mendocino College, she raised money for countless student scholarships, sat on committee after committee to improve and protect the school, supported all of the college’s arts programs with her own dollars and participation, rescued dozens of feral cats, fostering each through adoption, and offered genuine warmth and community to every student, faculty, and staff member. She has raised money for the Mendocino Cancer Resource Center through the Avon walkathon, is always a big supporter of Hospice, and reaches out to Ukiah’s homeless community with homemade care packages with her best friend Chris.

If you know our mom, you know that she’s someone who does as much good with whatever she has in her resource, humbly, and on instinct. She’s the lady that will throw an expecting teenage mother a baby shower and take a group of kids to a concert in Oakland on a school night; and also the lady that will clap back at rowdy drunks for being rude to their sober shuttle driver at a wedding; and also the lady that will take up a collection to bail you out of jail; and always someone eager to have a friendly chat in town, offer a needed hug, or throw a good party.

If you know Dalene, you know that being Grandma/Damma/Namma to her three grandchildren, Cypress, Wallace and Vivi is the greatest joy of her life and that she has made every birthday cake and Halloween costume they’ve ever had. If you know our mom, you know she is a total dork, a hippie, and a rocker, and a fairy enthusiast. She has a long life to live ahead of her and so many Halloween costumes to make!

We are exploring all options of traditional as well as alternative therapies, juicing, supplements, ozone therapy, vitamin C drips, alkaline water, resources in Mexico whatever can help this healing process.

We are blessed to have a vast community of resourceful and loving family and friends and ask that all Dalene’s fairies come together to lend Love, prayers, experience and resources for her journey ahead. First and foremost to All have the highest intentions and prayers that her body will heal itself with assistance and full health will be restored. Please envision a powerful medical team as we build, an effective treatment plan and a warrior spirit for this fight to regain health.

As we get deeper along this journey Dalene’s insurance will not cover all of the costs we will need to gather for the toolbox. Some but not all. We want Dalene to be able to fully focus on her healing without added financial stress. If you are able to make a contribution to assist in weaving the fabric of this journey we would be deeply grateful.

We are tapping in with this Go Fund Me to cast a large circle far and wide and ask that you share this message if you feel called to do so.

Let’s lift her up and connect collectively to restore health and get back to living life to the fullest!

With the deepest Gratitude,

The Nickelson Family

As you may feel called to call there may be times Dalene may not answer so she can rest.

Please feel free to call her Daughters anytime:

Gilyan and Kalene