Hello, my name is Tanya, and I am asking for your help for my dear family friend, Darren Dissegna.

I have had the privilege of knowing Darren his entire life. I babysat him as a child, we shared countless family dinners over the years, he volunteered faithfully in my drama classroom, and now I have the honour of teaching alongside him at Templeton Secondary. Darren is, without exaggeration, one of the most positive, kind, and genuinely lovely people I know.

Darren has been navigating serious health challenges since childhood. At age nine, he was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour and has lived with a shunt ever since to help drain excess fluid from his brain. Two tumours remain, but they are located in such sensitive areas that surgeons cannot safely remove them unless they grow larger—an impossible waiting game. As a result, Darren experiences daily vertigo and small seizures.

For more than 35 years, he has battled cancer: three precancers, Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and most recently a sarcoma that was removed this past spring. Heartbreakingly, Darren has just learned that the sarcoma has returned aggressively and has now spread to his abdomen and lymph nodes. He is now exploring alternative treatments and therapies in the hope of slowing or fighting this next chapter of his battle.

With this news comes tremendous uncertainty—financially, emotionally, and physically.

Darren is a master teacher. His students adore him, his colleagues respect him deeply, and the Templeton community cherishes his presence, warmth, humility, and humour. He is also an extraordinary father to his sweet 3½-year-old daughter, Mila, and a devoted, loving partner to Sonia.

Despite his lifelong health challenges, Darren has always been someone who gives generously. For years, he and Sonia have raised thousands of dollars for cancer research through a variety of initiatives—most recently by making and selling homemade pasta, with every dollar donated to the BC Cancer Foundation. Even in the midst of hardship, Darren continues to show up for others, offering positivity, strength, and support to many people facing similar journeys.

Darren is deeply loved by his family—his parents, Milena and Rocco; his brother, Jason; his sister-in-law, Tanya, and his nephews—who have stood by him through every step of this challenging road.

As Darren prepares to take an indefinite leave from work to spend as much meaningful time as possible with Mila and Sonia, the financial strain of uncovered treatments will become overwhelming. That is why this GoFundMe has been created: to help ease the immense financial and emotional pressure on Darren and his family during this unimaginably difficult time. Funds will support the cost of alternative and naturopathic clinical trials in Bellingham and Santa Monica—treatments that are not covered by our medical system.

This is a small ask for a man who has spent his life giving so much—to his students, to the Templeton community, to his family, and to cancer research initiatives across BC.

If you are able, please donate and share this campaign. Your support will help provide Darren and his loved ones with stability, hope, and precious time together.