Help Support Dan Shirley while Battling Cancer

Hi, my name is Bre Torres, a friend and co-worker of Dan Shirley. We (My husband Ruben, myself, co-workers & his family) are asking for help during a difficult time while Dan is battling for the second time, reoccurring oral squamous cell carcinoma. The help I am asking for is so important to me because Dan & I spend our days every single day helping sick patients, a lot of times battling cancer just like he is right now. Working side by side, every single day he treats his patients with the up most respect and kindness that I have ever seen, while knowing his time to go through a tough battle like they are is coming very soon, February 27th. Thats when Dan will have his surgery.

Dan is married to his wife Emily Shirley that works in the very same AHN system as we do. Emily also spends her days helping to care for sick patients in need. They just recently had baby girl Lyla Ann that turned 1 years old this January and she is the apple of her dads eye. Since this is the second time Dan will be going through this Emily is very well aware of the challenges that she will face. Some of the hardest things for her will be keeping the household together, working, helping with Dan's care to and getting him to & from appointments. Then depending on the pathology after his surgery possibly chemo to follow. And then can't forget to mention the spunky little 1 year old Lyla Ann that just started walking this week.

A little bit about the history for what Dan has gone through since the start of his cancer. In January 11th, 2018 he was diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma aka cancer. The doctors immediately went and did a surgery to remove it and tested a few lymph nodes. When the pathology came back they immediately started him with radiation & chemotherapy Monday through Friday. From what he says "it was very very rough" He had a lot of appointments, therapy and speech appointments to relearn how to properly speak again. After 7 months Dan was able to return back to work with all his scans being clear from cancer up until now. Its been 6 years to the day that Dan found out the cancer has now returned and will need to go back under the knife but this time a very long 8+ hour extensive reconstruction surgery. The team of surgeons said that Dan will spend at a minimum of 7 days in the hospital if everything goes as planned. Furthermore he will not being able to eat drink anything by mouth for 3 weeks to follow. That means he will need a special tube that will help give him his nutrition & hydration during those weeks. Wife Emily will be doing her best to work as much as possible with taking intermittent FMLA to help with appointments and care.

This financial relief we are asking for will help Dan & Emily with the heavy burden of bills (daily & medical) that will need to be paid since a lot of time will be lost at work. They are still paying on the medical bills that pilled up from 6 years ago. It would mean the world to them and all that love them for any kind of support you are able to help with. I would like to thank everyone that took the time to read this and has sent there love to the Shirley family.