I received a message from my friend Dan who said he wanted to donate something. And I said no.
Dan is a single, good looking, hard working, quiet guy. The type of guy who puts everyone else first and always leaves himself for last.
These last couple of years he has been devoted to taking care of his father, who, due to some very serious health issues, was at a hospital (long term) over an hour away from where Dan lives.
Dan worked full time, went to see his father at the hospital and made it his mission to see that his dad got better enough to come home. Dedicated is an understatement.
Dan spent hours and hours fixing up his Dad's house. Installing handicap accessible bathrooms and ramps and railings - making the home safe for his father to come home and live in.
Dan also had his own house that was a fixer-upper, so he was busy spending time between dwellings. Needless to say, it was a lot of work.
In addition to dealing with his father's finances and mounting medical bills, Dan has mounting medical bills of his own.
See, Dan has had his run in with cancer. A few years ago he was diagnosed with leukemia.
When you don't have really great insurance and are diagnosed with cancer those medical bills can quickly get the best of you.
When you're single and have cancer you feel very much isolated and alone. You don't have a partner to pick up the slack, so to speak. There is no one there to do the dishes, make you a smoothie, or sit with you because for some reason you can't explain being in a room by yourself right now feels like it would kill you.
Dan recently was told he's in remission and we all rejoiced!
And then he was diagnosed with Lupus. He is 33 years old.
It's like the guy can't catch a break.
He believes in what the American Cancer Society is and does because he's experienced it first hand. So he called me and told me he wanted to donate.
But I couldn't do it. Because, like I told him, we do this FOR YOU, Dan. We walk FOR YOU and for every other person out there like you.
And I know that the rule is to accept every donation with a smile... but I can't do that with Dan.
He donated when he was handed this diagnosis.
He donated his time, his hope, and his sense of security.
He donated his body to be looked at, poked at, explored and documented so that doctors could learn from him in order to help someone else.
I can't take a donation from Dan.... but I CAN and will take each and every donation made in his name.
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| This one's FOR you, Dan! |
Also, if you want to go one a date with Dan I can totally hook you up.
Because this guy's a keeper.
To donate, please use the donate button on the right side of this blog post.
All proceeds will go to the Walworth County Cloggers' 2011 Relay For Life Team to benefit the American Cancer Society.
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