Dani's Story

Daniele Stell (we called her Dani) was 18 years old when she was diagnosed with a cancer called Ewing's Sarcoma.  She had found a lump on her side and after numerous trips to her regular doctor and six months time, she was finally diagnosed.  By that time, the cancer had spread to her lungs and she was in a critical state, although she did not have any symptoms other than the lump on her side.  Her misdiagnosis most likely cost Dani her life.

Once Ewing's Sarcoma was diagnosed, she was put in the hospital and started an aggressive schedule of treatments, including many rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, numerous surgeries and a bone marrow transplant.  Dani was an active, bright and social young woman who loved school, dancing, fashion and friends.  She always approached her disease as being something she had to fit into her schedule and even made it to her senior prom in the midst of all her scheduled treatments.

She used to say "Mom, we are picked for a reason" and she was always determined to beat her disease.  Dani was subject to a bone marrow transplant which was not part of the regular protocol for Ewing's Sarcoma at that time.  She was cancer free for four months and then it came back in her brain.  Dani never gave up, and fought hard to live her life as normally as possible, sharing an apartment with her brother, returning to college and continuing experimental treatments.

Dani Stell lost her valiant battle with cancer in April 1999.  She was 19 years old.  During her 16 months of treatment, Dani showed courage, humor and energy while becoming an example of strength to her family and friends. 

"Mom, we were picked for a reason, she used to say."

Our Family Story      

We still think of Dani everyday and about the teens and young adults who are being diagnosed daily with Ewing's Sarcoma.  We know that our life's goal is to find a cure for cancer and that this life goal stems from the fact that we wanted Dani to live.  We wanted to fix Dani and cure her of cancer more than anything in the world.  We lost Dani to cancer, but did not lose our desire to cure the disease. 

Even thought Dani is not here in the physical being, we still have this burning loss inside that we are trying to fill.  We do not know if we will ever be able to fill it, but we will keep trying.  We do know one thing that we must do and that is to find a cure for Ewing's Sarcoma and the Ewing's Family of Tumors.  That is why we are here.  That is the message that comes up for us over and over again; no matter how lost we may feel.  When we reach inside we always come up with the same answer...that we have a purpose - thank God - this is our blessing.

Ewing's Sarcoma (EWS) is a bone cancer that strikes adolescent teens and young adults.  There is no known cause for the disease.  It typically will show up as a lump on and extremity (arm, hand, leg, foot).  The area where the lump is, will be surgically removed, via amputation.  Then the young person is subject to aggressive chemotherapy treatments which require hospitalization due to the strength and length of the treatments.  Once these are completed then radiation is administered to the area where the cancer was, if there is an area left to treat.