Dan Schell in his battle against cancer

Update: 12/3/2023

Dan and Josie have returned home to Florida. Dan had his first appointment with the surgeon at Moffitt Cancer Center last week. They feel like they are in very good hands since they not only treated Josie for her cancer but this is where Rachel received her chemo and bone marrow transplant.

This week 12/7/2023 Dan will have a full body CT scan to make sure they have a complete check of his bones and lungs prior to the next surgery. They also will be performing an ultrasound of his complete neck and all surrounding lymph nodes. They are doing this to make sure they remove any remaining tumor or lymph nodes that may have been left behind. He will have several appointments for labs and pre-surgery testing over the next few weeks before his second and hopefully final surgery Jan 18th.

After this surgery is complete he will wait 3 months and then they will start the process of Radioactive Iodine treatments. Once this starts it is about a 4 week process/ procedure. They said it takes about a year for your body to recoup from this treatment.

Dan has a long road of this and that, but his cancer is super curable and that is a blessing. His faith is strong, he is surrounded by his amazing family and friends who have shown so much support and love. Dan says he is thankful for all the prayers, phone calls and texts. He is in amazement at the financial support. He has been able to pay almost all his outstanding debt at the hospital thanks to you all. ❤️

Original:

Hello, I'm Christina Freeman, and I've always proudly declared myself as Dan's favorite niece, so I'm honored to share this on his behalf.

Today, I'd like to share Dan's courageous journey with you. It all started when Dan noticed a mass, just a bump, seemingly inconsequential, when he was shaving one day. But he knew better than to ignore it. Without hesitation, he went to get it checked out, a decision that would change the course of his life. What looked like a little bump on the outside, showed his thyroid was 5Xs the normal size with most of the mass being on the inside.

On September 21st, Dan underwent his first surgery to remove the mass and half of his thyroid. Those three weeks following the procedure felt like an eternity for our family as we anxiously awaited the pathology report. The 11th of October brought both relief and a heavy dose of reality when the results came in: Hurthle Cell Carcinoma, a form of thyroid cancer. The word "cancer" echoed like a thunderclap through our lives, this was not the Schell's first time dealing with cancer, as he is now the 4th in his family to battle (His stepchildren; Rachel Hagen (Dodds) and Nathan Dodds, and his wife, Josie Schell (Dodds) have all battled cancer over the last 2 decades.

Dan's strength and resolve never wavered. He's a fighter, a pillar of resilience. The battle is far from over, and we are rallying around him for the next stage of this fight. On November 16th, he's scheduled for a second surgery, a crucial step in his journey to recovery. The medical expenses for this procedure are daunting, and we are reaching out to you, our extended family, friends, and well-wishers, to help us cover these costs.

Following the second surgery, Dan will continue his treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Florida. While this diagnosis has a 95% chance of survival, the road ahead will be challenging, both mentally and financially, but with your support, we believe that he can overcome this hurdle. Every donation, no matter how small, is a beacon of hope for our family. Your generosity will not only ease the financial burden of paying for the deductible for surgery and post-care, but also provide the emotional strength needed to face the challenges that lie ahead.

If you know Dan, you know he is the first to give the shirt off his back to help someone in need, and now it's our turn to return the favors he's given to others. Together, we can help Dan in his fight against Hurthle Cell Carcinoma and give him the best chance at a brighter, healthier future.

With Love,

Christina <3