Growing up together in Concord, NH, Donna, a retired credit union employee, and Dana, a highway foreman for the state of New Hampshire, were junior high sweethearts, happily married for more than 21 years with two beautiful daughters.
In August 2002, their lives were turned upside down when Dana, at age 37, was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Prior to his diagnosis, Dana, a two-pack-a-day smoker and all-day caffeine drinker, suddenly stopped smoking almost entirely and could barely finish one cup of coffee. When he started saying things that didn’t make sense and appearing forgetful, his family originally chalked it up to nicotine and caffeine withdrawal, but when his behavior grew more erratic, his mom, a nurse, urged them to contact his physician. Several days later, Dana learned he had a brain tumor.
Physicians surgically remove the tumor and no chemotherapy was necessary. The family thought they were so lucky. Unfortunately, two years later, a follow up MRI showed that the tumor had reappeared and Dana began radiation five days a week for six weeks.
Two years later, in 2006, another follow up MRI revealed that the tumor had recurred once again. A biopsy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston revealed that the tumor type was gliobastoma multiform (GBM). Because Dana had just undergone radiation, he could not go through it again and he was treated with the oral prescription medication Temador. Unfortunately, this treatment was unsuccessful.
In January 2007, he entered an FDA clinical trial for Avastin, which was designed to stop new blood vessels from developing and carrying nutrients to a tumor. The family was ecstatic to learn that Dana’s tumor had shrunken by 50 percent. Throughout this time, Dana continued to work and the family booked a trip to Alaska—realizing one of Dana and Donna’s lifelong dreams.
Unfortunately, about a month prior to the trip, Dana began to show signs of regression. In June 2007, the family traveled to Alaska and while Dana was becoming less responsive, they still had a wonderful time—memories that stay with Dana and the girls to this day.
Upon their return, the family learned that Dana’s tumor had indeed returned and nothing could be done. Dana stopped all treatments and his family lovingly cared for him. Dana passed away 12 weeks later.
Donna retired in April to help take care of her newborn granddaughter and is now focused on helping families who lost family members to Alzheimer’s disease. Having lost her father to Alzheimer’s and the loss of her husband, Donna is dedicated to giving back and helping families in need.
On Sunday, Oct. 6, Donna, her two daughters, ages 26 and 23, her granddaughter, and family and friends took part in the Boston Brain Tumor Walk. This is Donna and her daughters’ third walk in memory of Dana and they hope that one day they don’t have to hear about another person losing their life to such a horrible disease.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
