Help Dan Fight Brain Cancer & Support His Family

Ours is a story of love, survival, and now — heartbreak.

In 2020, I beat a 3% chance of survival after being diagnosed with leukemia. My husband Dan was my rock through it all. Now, just four years later, he’s the one fighting for his life — with terminal brain cancer (Grade 4 Glioblastoma).

We’re raising funds to help Dan live his final chapter with dignity, to create lasting memories with our three boys, and to keep our family together in the home he hopes to pass in — surrounded by love.

We believe in miracles. And we believe in the power of community. Thank you for helping us hold on to both.

Where do I even begin?....

If you know us, you know who Dan and I are at our core — two people who lead with love, who value family (both by blood and by choice), who teach our children to be kind, empathetic, and dream big. We believe in giving back, in community, and in holding tight to hope — even in the darkest times.

We’ve already faced one of those storms.

In March 2020, at the height of COVID, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). I was isolated in Juravinski Cancer Center, fighting for my life while the world was shut down. I nearly died — twice. I lost the ability to talk, sit up, walk. I had 3 emergency surgeries. My survival odds were 3%, and yet, I made it. In February 2021, I received a life-saving stem cell transplant. I’m now four years in remission. My husband, family & our boys, now 13, 11, and 6, weathered that storm beside me. We made it through — together.

But now... it’s different.

Dan’s Diagnosis

Just before Christmas, Dan had what we thought was a small focal seizure. It seemed strange — he was aware during it, which didn’t make sense. After a second, stronger seizure weeks later, I urged him to see a doctor.

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, an MRI changed everything.

They found a 5cm x 5cm mass in his frontal left lobe. It needed to be removed immediately. We were hopeful it might not be cancer. Miracles have happened before.

The surgery was successful. But the biopsy confirmed our worst fear:

Grade 4 Astrocytoma (Glioblastoma) — one of the most aggressive and deadly brain cancers. His prognosis is 18 months to 3 years. Median survival with treatment.

We believe in miracles. We have to.

But this time, it’s not just terrifying. It’s heartbreaking. All our plans — to retire in Mexico or Curacao, to rescue dogs, to grow old together — are gone. My kids will grow up without their dad. And I’m not sure how I’ll do this alone.

Who Dan Is

Dan and I met when he was 21, and I was 26. He was different — an old soul, kind, smart, endlessly curious. He taught himself how to make money online at 16. We married in Aruba in 2006 and built a life rooted in deep love.

Dan is neurodivergent with an eidetic memory — he can recall vivid memories from early childhood, learn anything tech-related in a day, and absorb knowledge like a sponge. I convinced him to follow his natural gifts in Internet Technology and from that moment, he soared as an entrepreneur and he was my biggest supporter through 18 years of my own business journey.

He is the kindest, most empathetic, patient, loving human I’ve ever met. A fierce supporter of women’s equality. A gentle soul with animals. A devoted father. My soul mate. And this — this cancer — threatens to take him away from us far too soon.

Our Reality

Dan’s biggest wish is simple: that our children and I can stay in our home, in Burlington — surrounded by our beautiful community of neighbors, friends, and chosen family. He wants to pass peacefully at home, in our bed, together.

He also wants to take three meaningful trips with us — to create memories our children will carry forever.

But we can’t do this alone.

Dan is our main breadwinner. As his health declines, he won’t be able to work. I work for a wonderful charity, but it’s not enough to sustain us on one income — especially while also caring for Dan and our boys. I’ve become the nurse, the driver, the caregiver, the emotional anchor — all while trying to keep everything else running.

So I’m doing something I never thought I’d do: I’m asking for help.

Our Fundraising Goal: $100,000 CAD

We know this is a significant number. But this is what it will take to give Dan the care he needs, keep our family stable, and create beautiful, lasting memories together — while also supporting our boys emotionally and mentally for the road ahead.

Medical Costs

• Dan’s chemo pills: ~$500/month (after health coverage)

• Alternative treatments (Hope4Cancer Mexico): $10,000–$20,000

• Therapy for all of us: ~$24,000/year — with a focus on the boys’ mental health.

Home & Family Support

• Part-time caregiver for the kids: ~$2,500/month

• Supplemental income: to cover everyday living expenses

• Keeping our home in Burlington: Dan’s wish is to pass here, peacefully, surrounded by love

✨ Joyful Memories

• Trip to Alberta (July) and a Disney Cruise (January) - Dan’s favorite way to connect and see our autistic son light up. Finally a trip back to Aruba where we visited when we first started dating and eventually married there.

Total estimated cost: $30,000

Children’s Trust

• Any additional funds raised will be placed into a trust for our children’s future, offering them stability and support beyond this heartbreaking chapter

We know many people are struggling right now — and that not everyone can give financially. But every share, every kind word, every act of love matters more than we can say.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story.

Thank you for lifting us up.

Thank you for holding our family close as we face the unimaginable — again.

May you be blessed with health, with love — and with people who show up when it matters most.

With deep gratitude,

Melissa + Hyslop Family

Burlington, ON

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