As some of you may or not know, my father, Dana, was diagnosed with cancer a few years back. Since that day we all found out, a lot has happened! He went through treatments, hard times, good times, but in the end he has come out of it a SURVIVOR! Not many people get to say that about their family members. I consider us blessed and lucky to still have him around.
The hospital in which he receives treatment and care from, wanted him to represent survivors at a benefit dinner this past month. They asked him to share his story. Here it is:
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"My name is Dana Hansen and I am a cancer survivor. Cancer is one of the worst words anyone can hear. When they told me in November 2010 that I had CLL it knocked me off my feet. When you hear about someone else having cancer you feel sad, but when you hear you have cancer it is really scary and you start to think of all kinds of things that can happen. Most of my life my motto has been that I don’t worry about things I have no control over. My motto was about to be tested.
After the shock was gone we talked to the doctors about what we can do to fight it. The doctors and nurses at LGH Cancer Center are great and help you all the way with your battle. Fortunately I did not need treatment at that time. However 6 months later I did. After six months of chemo the cancer was in remission and things were looking up. Two and a half years later I was sick again and was able to be the first person at LGH cancer center to start on a new breakthrough drug for CLL. It worked extremely well, however after several months I had to stop taking it because of a side effect. This drug worked enough to give me another year of remission!
In September 2015 I needed to start treatment again. Fortunately there were several choices because they are always coming up with new treatment options. Once again I started on a newer drug. However once again I was unable to stay on it very long because I experienced some side effects. The most serious side effect was pneumonitis. One of my greatest passions is music and singing. The pneumonitis made it difficult and eventually impossible to sing. This proved to be a very difficult trial; not knowing if this was temporary or permanent. During this difficult time I had a tremendous peace that can only come from God.
November 2015 thru April 2016 proved to be the most difficult 6 months of my life. I spent most of my days at the cancer center and received over a hundred blood and platelet transfusions at this time. January through March I had a very strong chemo regimen. During this time I never gave up! I continued to have faith in God, the Great Physician and the team of doctors and nurses He led me to at LGH Cancer Center and Dana Farber. At the end of my March treatment it took much longer than expected for me to recover. I spent a week in isolation in the hospital with no immune system. During these months there were many times that it seemed like I may not recover. In May I finally turned the corner. My recovery has been miraculous. I am in remission again and I am enjoying life to the fullest. I have returned to a part time job I enjoy and have enjoyed many fun days with friends and family this summer; cookouts, camping trips , Canobie Lake Park, and an upcoming Disney Trip!!! I am also able to sing again and will be returning to our community choral group again this fall. I feel great and am enjoying life, one day at a time. In October some friends and family have formed “Team Dana” and are walking to raise funds for Leukemia & Lymphoma in the Light the Night walk in Boston. This is my first fundraiser walk and hopefully not my last.
I am so very grateful for the prayers of family, friends, church, and even people I did not know. I have never felt alone and did not have to fight the battle alone. My wife, Laurel was always by my side and I think in some ways it was harder for her.
So what does the future hold? None of us really knows the answer to that question. None of us knows what the future holds. However with my faith in God, prayers of friends and family, and the help of the dedicated staff at LGH Cancer Center….I do not fear the future!!! I HAVE HOPE!
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If you would like to donate to my fund page for "Light the Night- Boston" please click the link below. Any amount can make a difference.
http://pages.lightthenight.org/ma/BostonL16/RKnowlton
Below you will find some of my favorite memories with me Dad. I've added some from my brothers and sister's collections as well.
*Please note, some of these photos were taken with cell phone, digital point and shoot cameras, as well as professional.*
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| Dad and Mom at the Cancer Benefit Dinner :) |
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| All of Dad's children at his mother's funeral, along side his father. |
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| Dad and Randy (son) playing a game of Box Hockey, built by Dad himself. |
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| After playing a gig with Randy(son), Olivia & Rebecca (daughters), Nathan (son in law), and his wife Laurel. |
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| All the grandkids! (Minus the most recent, RJ) |
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| Tracy, Olivia, Rebecca, and Michelle. (Daughters and Daughter in law) |
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| The whole gang <3 |
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| All of Dana's kids plus Nathan and Michelle (son in law, daughter in law) |
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| Dana and the newest grandson, Raymond. |
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| Canobie Lake! Courtesy of LGH! |
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| Trip to Lake Winnipesaukee |
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| I've always love my Dad's young spirit. |
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Hansen, Knowlton, Tocci Selfie!
Dad, we love you very much. :) I hope this brings joy to your day. |
