2011 Honorary Chair
Relay for Life of Hartford / Slinger
My name is Danny Dulak and I am proud to be the 2011 Hartford/Slinger Relay for Life Honorary Chair.
My wife Wendy and our three children Sydney(7), Mason(5), and Gage(3) have lived in Hartford for the
past 14 years.
Unintentionally, my relationship with the Relay for Life has come full circle. Since 2001 we have been
team members, team captains, committee volunteers and lead individuals for campsites, website and
logistics. When my wife and I started working walking with her company teams from Signicast in 2001 I
didn't have any close personal brushes with cancer. We thought it was a great community event and we
supported it. Over the last 4 years that battle has become much more personal.
In 1984 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and in 2007 with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC),
which is a blockage of the bile ducts that lead to your liver. Those are all big names, but none of them
are cancer, right? Thru regular testing and medication most of my problems were under control. During
one of my regular 6 month colonoscopy visits, which I had been doing for some time, the tests found
something. I was on vacation when I got the call from my GI's nurse. "Dr. Pfau" wants to talk to you". I
knew that wasn't good. He told me I had the beginning of colon cancer. The longer they waited to do
something the more likely it would be to spread. Time to take the colon out. Before we could do the
surgery they wanted to test my bile ducts one more time. At the time that seemed like the least of my
worries. My PSC had been unchanged for some time. The tests were done and they came back positive.
I had cancer in my bile ducts leading to my liver. The only way to fix that is through a liver transplant.
Two different cancers unrelated, but both have very poor consequences unless taken care of.
Unfortunately you can't take someone's colon and do a liver transplant at the same time. It just doesn't
work that way. In August of 2009 I had a colectomy done to remove my colon and reform it with the
small intestine that was left over. I had a temporary ostomy bag placed so that my newly concocted
pipes could heal. In September after the surgery I started 3 months of chemo and radiation on my bile
ducts. In early December I was formally listed on the recipient list for a liver transplant. I was kept on
Chemo pills to reduce any growth in the bile ducts due to the PSC.
In the months in between being listed for a transplant and receiving one you have a ton of time to think
about a lot of things. Essentially you are praying for someone else to die so that you can live. There are
very few situations in life where you can examine your mortality so in-depth for such a long period of
time. I don't really think that deeply nor do I want to so I bided my time.
On May 17th I got the call from my transplant coordinator at UW Madison. I needed to get to the
hospital, on the 18th I had a new liver and amazingly 3 days later I was home. For someone expecting 3
weeks in the hospital and to feel horrible, I felt pretty good. Me and my pharmacy of 34 pills per day
went home and started the healing process.
The times since then since then have had their ups and downs, a few intensive care visits sprinkled in,
but mostly good. How did I use the American Cancer Society thru my cancer journey? I like technology,
so I used their website extensively. How do you tell your 5, 3 and 1 year olds you have cancer and will
be away for awhile? There are answers there. How do you stay on top of the latest research for new
treatment s and drugs? There are answers there. Unfortunately the 70 year old grandfather's liver that
I received isn't going to last as long as I plan to. So I'll be going thru this process again. Who provides
grants to fund research on chemo drugs and cancer screenings? ACS does. Who funds ACS? You do.
You see my cancer journey while stable for the current time frame will undoubtedly change at some
point. I need this research to move faster, I need more answers. So while I relay for my children in the
hopes that I haven't passed any of these horrible traits to them, I would be lying to say that I don't
selfishly relay for myself. Please think about who you Relay for as you request your donations and do
your fundraising activities. We need you. I need you.
I have been able to go through this ordeal focusing on my health because my family, my wife, my friends
and my company took great care of me. I'd like to thank the caring group of friends we have discovered
at St Killian's Church and School. While all of this was happening we were just getting to know this
group of parents and they stopped at nothing to help us out. To my friends from Thomas More High
School, I have been thru everything with you for the past 20-25 years, thank you for helping be the
person I am today. To SourceMedical for letting me keep my job while contributing little for 12 months.
To my family who gave their time without asking. I am fortunate enough to grow up in a family like this.
I never worried about who was taking care of the kids or driving me to a multitude of appointments in
Madison. Someone was always there. Thank you to my parents for bringing me up in such a wonderful
family. Most importantly to my wife Wendy for doing EVERYTHING for 12 months straight. For
tolerating me during my not so positive days for your nursing capabilities you somehow found and for
always reminding me "You are going to FIGHT, you are going to BEAT THIS, there are NO OTHER
OPTIONS”.
The Relay for Life and ACS have given me the resources and information that they have given so many
cancer survivors. They have also given the support and backing to help develop the very drugs and
procedures that keep me alive today. Most importantly they have given me friends on this Committee
and this Relay that I will treasure for life.
When you question your abilities/desire/resources to help participate in RFL I hope you will remember
the great number of people that you have given more birthdays too. Push yourself even harder to
achieve your Relay goals. Thank you for the opportunity to be the 2011 Honorary chair. It is a title I
never wanted but gladly embrace.