My name is Dan, and just a few days ago, my world was turned upside down. In late-August, I was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in my leg. At the time, it seemed manageable, but when I went in for a follow-up appointment on October 27, routine bloodwork revealed that some of my counts were off. As a voice professor at Ohio University and the Director of Opera Theater, I’m often exposed to various illnesses—recently, there’s been a lot of Mononucleosis and Epstein-Barr Virus going around. I assumed that was the cause of my abnormal numbers. My doctor asked me to wait a couple of weeks and have things rechecked. I also chalked up my fatigue to the intense stress of producing Ohio University Opera Theater’s production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel, along with other work pressures.

After the production closed, I went in for more bloodwork, but the numbers hadn’t improved. Suspecting a bleeding ulcer, I was referred to both a Gastroenterologist and a Hematologist. Then, early Wednesday morning, I received a call from the head of the GI practice. He suspected a blood disorder and urged me to get to OSU Medical Center in Columbus immediately. After some initial bloodwork, the diagnosis: Leukemia. The news was delivered quickly and honestly. The next few days were a whirlwind—multiple rounds of bloodwork, and various other tests. Since then, I’ve undergone a bone marrow biopsy, had a PICC line placed, and an ultrasound of my heart. I was discharged to spend the weekend at home with my family before starting my big battle on Monday for a 4-6 week in-patient chemo treatment to beat Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML). We are going to take this one step at a time and that's the first step.

This journey is just beginning, and it will be a long and challenging road. I will likely be unable to work for the better part of 6-9 months, and the costs of treatment (still unknown at this time), travel, and daily living are overwhelming. My family and I are reaching out with hope and deep gratitude for any support you can offer. Your kindness will help us face this fight with strength and resilience. Thank you for standing with us.