HOPE FOR DANA: FIGHT GLIOBLASTOMA WITH LOVE and HOPE

IMPORTANT APRIL UPDATE – Treatment Cost Increased

We are overwhelmed with gratitude—because of your generosity, we've raised over $85,000 to support Dana’s fight against glioblastoma. Your donations have helped secure housing near UCSF, cover travel costs, and relieve the financial stress that no family should face alone.

However, we’ve recently learned that Dana’s specialized brain radiation treatment (IMRT) at UCSF will cost $135,000, not the $80,000 we originally estimated. This increase is due to:

In response, we are adjusting our fundraising goal to $148,315 to reflect the actual cost of Dana’s current treatment plan and essential support needs.

We are moved beyond words by your continued support. Every share, donation, and word of encouragement gives us strength and brings Dana closer to the care she needs and deserves.

With deep love and gratitude,

Dana, Matthew, Evan, and Gracie

#MusicForDana

(NOTE: If, through your generosity, we raise more than Dana ultimately needs, our family is committed to paying it forward to others facing medical hardship.)

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** Regular Updates are posted on Dana's CaringBridge Page **

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A TEACHER, MOTHER, AND MUSICAL LIGHT

If you've ever heard a child sing with unshakable joy, you've likely felt the quiet magic of our sister, Dana Zahler. She is a mother, a mentor, a leader, and a light.

Now, Dana needs us to lift her in return.

A DEVASTATING DIAGNOSIS

In early March 2025, Dana noticed weakness in her left hand and arm, missing piano notes, hitting the wrong keys at the computer, blurry vision, etc.

The signs were subtle, but heeding advice, Dana went to the Emergency Department. Within hours, an MRI revealed a 3.4 cm mass in her brain. She was admitted to Eisenhower Medical Center, where neurosurgeons performed an emergency craniotomy to remove the tumor.

The diagnosis: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) – an aggressive, stage IV brain cancer with a challenging prognosis. Just this past week, the specialists identified a second tumor on the other side of her brain.

While surgeons were able to remove most of the visible tumor, GBM is known to leave behind microscopic cancer cells that hide in healthy brain tissue. Dana's recovery now depends on a combination of intensive radiation, chemotherapy, and potentially, clinical trials at the UCSF Brain Tumor Center in San Francisco.

DANA'S FIGHT BEGINS

Dana has been accepted into a leading program at UCSF. Her treatment plan includes:

Despite the physical challenges, Dana remains brave and full of music.

FINANCIAL CHALLENGES

While Dana and Matthew do everything they can, the journey brings overwhelming costs. Here's where the funds will be focused:

‍‍A FAMILY HOLDING STRONG

For more than 30 years, Dana has dedicated herself to music education, nurturing countless young voices throughout Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, and now in the Coachella Valley, where she teaches at Della Lindley Elementary.

Her classroom is a sanctuary of creativity and compassion, with choirs that resonate with affection. In 2022, she was named Palm Springs District Teacher of the Year and selected as Della Lindley's 2024–2025 Teacher of the Year.

Dana doesn't just teach music—she lives it. And now, she's facing the most challenging movement of her life.

Dana was discharged just days after brain surgery, a testament to her strength and willpower. She's now healing at home with her husband, Matthew, and surrounded by love from her children, Evan (21, a musical prodigy with perfect pitch who studies composition) and Gracie (14, a drama student and singer with her mother's gift for performance).

Dana continues to experience vision and coordination challenges on her left side but is determined to reclaim her independence. With her family by her side, Dana is preparing for a long road of oncology treatments, rehabilitation, and travel to specialized centers.

They are deeply bonded. And this diagnosis has reshaped everything.

❤️ HOW YOUR SUPPORT HELPS

We humbly ask your support to help Dana fight this battle and keep her family whole.

Your donation will help cover:

Please donate, share, and be part of Team Dana.

#MusicForDana