In Memory of Dawn

Dawn Theresa was born on October 18, 1966, to Margaret and Gerald Pollard of Long Island, NY. A graduate of Baldwin High School, Dawn Pollard worked in Rockville Centre and enjoyed nearby beaches, dancing, swimming, and socializing. In 1995, when she was first diagnosed with Stage II-A Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Dawn was a vivacious 28-years-old and engaged to my brother-in-law Matt (who I have known since he was five years old and is more like a brother.)

Dawn's disease started with a cough that would not go away. Thinking she had bronchitis, Dawn went to see her doctor and took a prescribed course of antibiotics. The cough persisted. She was sent for a chest x-ray and the news was dreadful. Hodgkin's disease, sometimes called Hodgkin's lymphoma, is a cancer that starts in the lymph nodes and related organs that are part of the body's immune and blood-forming systems. There is no benign (non-cancerous) form of Hodgkin's disease. Dawn's lymphoma or "mass" was in her chest in an area particularly difficult to treat without severely damaging her lungs.

After 6 months of chemotherapy, with her cancer in remission, Dawn and Matt were married, although it seemed to those who knew them that they had been married since they first met. Their wedding at Jones Beach in October, 1996, was a celebration of love (and a helluva party) that no one in attendance will ever forget. Dawn and Matt were the perfect couple and ecsatically happy. Then, just 6 months later, the cancer returned.

Radiation was added to "chemo" this time and it worked -- for a while. By 2001, however, after they had moved to Philadelphia, Dawn's cancer returned for a 4th time. Dawn and Matt visited the resources in the area and decided on Fox Chase-Temple for treatment. They decided she needed a more agressive approach and Dawn was prepared for a stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor. Five years later, still cancer-free, Dawn and Matt celebrated the milestone by visiting other patients at the Bone Marrow transplant center to offer them hope and encouragement. Their joy was short-lived, however and lymphoma struck again.

Their life together was difficult due to Dawn's cancer and treatments including two bone marrow transplants, but their love for each other and for life, punctuated with a sense of humor and grace, never left them.

Our hearts go out to Matthew and his and Dawn's family and friends. Dawn's life was too short in duration, but it was rich in intensity and love and will live long in the memories of all who knew her.

Dawn was the kind of person you loved from the moment you met her. She had more friends than anyone -- and deservedly so for she never forgot a birthday or other occasion, which she not only remembered but did so lovingly and with genuine joy. No one I met ever enjoyed life more or gave so much so willingly. Even when confined to a wheelchair and dependent on oxygen, Dawn would be out raising money to fight Leukemia and Lymphoma. This lens is meant to provide a space to leave tributes for Dawn and to honor her spirit of giving and love so that others may be spared the ordeals of this dreadful disease.

On April 4th, 2011, the Philadelphia Inquirer ran a series of articles about dealing with caring for patients in their last month of life. Matt was contacted by the author through The Wellness Community (now The Cancer Support Community of Philadelphia). The author, Stacey Burling, is a staff writer for the Inquirer who lost her spouse to cancer and wanted to help others in similar situations by sharing her experiences and advice.

The articles are:
Living through the last month
The price of not talking about death
Advice from some who have done the caring

The third article features some of Matt's comments and a photo of Matt and Dawn is featured in the gallery of pictures that accompany that article.

Congratulations to Matt and Everyone who contributed to the "Friends of Dawn" Light the NIght Team (and especially for those stalwart souls who got out there and walked!) for being one of the TOP fundraising teams in Chester County, PA.

The Friends of Dawn Team was the third highest overall and the TOP (Yes! NUMBER 1, Numero Uno) Team that was not part of a corporation fundraising team. The Dawn Team raised raised $7,597 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The top corporate team, AFSCME, raised $21,666.00 and second place was CV "Swinging for Jack" at $7,8840.00. Dawn's team was the 3rd highest overall and
1st Place in the individual team category! Kudos!

Dawn would have been so proud of this achievement and how everyone has taken to heart her request to be remembered by being active in your own community and volunteering on a regular basis to help others. I could not think of a more fitting tribute.

Those dollars add up and if you want to help find a cure for these dreaded cancers, there's a link near the bottom of this page where you can simply click to make a donation directly to the L&LS.

Thank you all!

The following section links to videos of the news reports about it and you can see Matt accept the award. (It takes a few seconds to get past the end of the weather report or news, but be patient.)

It has been one year without Dawn being here but her spirit lives on. With Matt's permission, I'd like to share a "Sympathy Card" Dawn left with him to send to mourners after her death. It is so typical of her to care more about others than herself and I hope you take her lessons and request to heart. We can all learn quite a few important lessons from the most remarkable, brave, unselfish, generous, and loving presence in our lives.

I'm so sorry for your loss and I will miss you something fierce. Crying is normal and so is being sad. But as time passes, may all the beauty of our love give way to smiles and joyful memories. Take one look at any part of Mother Nature and you can see me there. Enjoy simple things. Say "I Love You" more and reach out to those in need (volunteer). You have the capacity to love more than you know. Thank you for being a blessing in my life. I couldn't have been me without you.
               My Eternal Love, Hugs & Kisses XOXO
               - Dawn

On May 8, 2011, as per Dawn's wishes, Matt distributed her ashes at Long Island's Long Beach, where he proposed on September 4, 1994, and at Jones Beach, where they were married on October 19, 1996.

These videos are the sounds and sights of those beaches on May 8th. I hope you find the sight of the waves, expanses of ocean and sands, and the sounds of the surf, birds, and wind a soothing and even spiritual experience, as we did.

According to the National Institute of Health, as of 2007, there were 602,598 men and women with Lymphoma. Each year, in the U.S., abut 8,000 people are diagnosed wth the disease. Lymphoma refers to a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's immune system. There are more than 67 types of lymphoma, which can be classified in two categories: Hodgkin (6 types) and non-Hodgkin (61 types).

Hodgkin's lymphoma (named after Thomas Hodgkin, who first described it in 1832) is characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells, which are large, malignant cells found in Hodgkin lymphoma tissues (and also named for the scientists who first identified them). Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) represents a diverse group of diseases that are distinguished by the characteristics of the cancer cells associated with each disease type. Hodgkin lymphoma is considered to be one of the most curable forms of cancer. It can be cured in about 75 percent of all patients. It is most likely to be diagnosed in people in their twenties or thirties. It is less common in middle age and becomes more common again after age 60.

Symptoms can include night sweats, itching, fatique, enlarged lymph nodes, chest discomfort, persistent cough, abdominal discomfort, or shortness of breath. These symptoms can also be indicative of a variety of other, far less serious conditions, so it is wise to consult a medical practitioner to determine the cause.

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