Mayor: Public support critical during cancer treatment

By Ray Weikal

As Mayor Bill Dane battles cancer, he’s starting to realize there’s a lot of other people who’ve got his back.

Dane announced he has cancer at a March 3 Board of Aldermen meeting. The outpouring of public support since then has been almost overwhelming, he said last week.

“I’ve had nothing but positive support,” Dane said. “I’ve received hundreds of cards. That’s important, to get things that say, ‘Keep your chin up, buddy.’”

Dane’s ordeal began early this year when the left side of his neck started feeling sore. Doctors at Liberty Hospital determined that he has lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the body’s immune system.

“The doctors tell me that it’s good news and bad news,” Dane said. “There’s no cure for what I have, but they can slow it down.”

Since Dane’s diagnosis, he’s started getting chemotherapy treatments every three weeks. On Tuesday, April 29, Dane got his third dose of “the red devil,” as he calls it. Five vials of the radioactive, crimson liquid were loaded into Dane’s body, sent on a search and destroy mission against the cancer. Each treatment takes about eight hours.

“You take newspapers and books, and you sit there all day with an IV drip,” Dane said.

Though the chemotherapy’s ultimate effect is good, the short-term side effects can be tough, Dane said. After every treatment, Dane suffers hair loss and nausea, among other things.

“Of all the drugs that I take, (chemotherapy’s) the one that causes everyone problems. It’s a mean, nasty drug that works miracles,” Dane said. “For those two or three days after a treatment, any cancer patient will tell you those are some mighty tough days.”

Dane has reached the point in his treatment where his physicians should start to see some results, he said.

“It’s a rather critical point, because it will tell us if what they are doing will have an impact,” Dane said. “You always hope that it’s reducing the lumps. I feel that it’s having a positive impact.”

A positive attitude, a normal life and a supportive community are all important for those dealing with cancer, Dane said.

“You’ve got to continue a normal life,” he said. “You, as an individual, have to come to terms with what that means. When you come to terms with it, get up, put your pans on, put a smile on your face and do what you have to do.”

Rich Weber, who owned Weber Real Estate in Kearney, died due to complications from cancer on Jan. 18. His widow, Hattie Weber, offered her support to Dane. Family members of cancer victims in particular can benefit from the support of friends, she said.

“There’s nothing like the support of good friends. The outpouring of caring and concern actually helped

me through it,” Weber said.

Greeting cards, phone calls and short visits can be a big boost for people like Dane, according to Weber.

“The community can help him, I think, by letting him know that they respect him and care about him,” she said.

Patty Dane, the mayor’s wife, has also benefited from community support.

“The spouse some times gets forgotten in these situations,” Bill Dane said. “Our community has reached out to Patty. There’s been so many people call her and ask how they can help.”

Since Dane learned of his cancer, he’s been more willing to tell loved-ones how he feels about them. That’s a good thing, he said.

“You express yourself for those you love a little more directly and a little more succinctly,” Dane said.

Staff writer Ray Weikal can be reached at 389-6637 or rayweikal@npgco.com.