I am sitting at my computer on a Sunday afternoon trying to catch up on emails and just saw a note from almost a week ago about the death of "Dian from Spokane". I am embarrassed that I am so late in getting this news, but more than that am incredibly sad. Charley, I saw your post–thank you for providing such a great picture of the richness of Dian's life.
Though it is late, and I knew Dian for a shorter time than Charlie and a number of others, I can't let Dian's passing go without a few reflections.
I started with the MRF in January 2009 and one of the first things I did was contact a group of active MPIP participants to seek advice and ideas. Dian was part of that group, and we had several conversations. Her passion about and commitment to the community of melanoma patients was truly amazing. I had never heard of "Old Time Music" and remember clearly a long phone conversation about how this southern Appalachian style was a precursor to Bluegrass.
Dian was a fierce advocate for patients and a constant source of encouragement in Chat and on the board. I met Dian and Bob at a patient meeting in Seattle, again in 2009. She had just learned about a new recurrence and was struggling to find the best path forward. She was uncharacteristically passive, saying "I just wish someone would tell me what I should do." We have all seen this before, of course–a new or recurrent cancer causes paralysis and uncertainty. I contacted Jan (Janner) and she said, "I'll talk with her." Soon Dian was back to her feisty self–thank you Janner, you have helped more people than you will ever know!
In facing this most recent recurrence, Dian struggled with what treatment approach to take. She knew all too well that a number of different treatments could work, but she had no guarantee that the one she chose would be the right one. This is a challenge she had walked through with many other people through the years.
The news of Dian's stroke was, for many of us, a crushing blow. The MPIP community rallied around her and her family in a demonstration of care that was moving.
We have the opportunity sometimes to encounter people whose generosity of spirit and love of life shine through clearly. Dian was one of those people. She leaves a legacy of music, of caring, and of courage, and that legacy will stay with us for a long, long time.
Tim–MRF
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