Heroes: Denis McDowell

(Denis is pictured with his wife Judith at the April Foundation fundraiser held in his honor.)

Denis and his wife, Judith, were set to celebrate in style.  Thirty-nine years married.  A weekend getaway to New York City with fine food and a taste of Broadway theatre seemed an ideal way to share their anniversary together.

If not for Denis’ agonizing toothache.  “It’s nothing,” he thought.  He dismissively carried on through the weekend, until his left foot began to, well, “flop.”  The couple immediately rushed home to Philadelphia and straight to the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center.  There, an MRI and an emergency biopsy revealed the cause of his symptoms. 

Glioblastoma multiforme: an invasive and rapidly growing brain tumor.  Diagnosis: November 7, 2005.

Their anniversary was November 5 – just two days before.

The surgeons at the hospital removed a five-centimeter tumor from the right parietal lobe of Denis’ brain.  He remained in intensive care for about a week…and then went right back to work.

“Whatever is going to happen is going to happen, so I just have to keep a positive attitude,” he said.  True to his word, McDowell, a retired New Jersey state trooper, didn’t let this new challenge dampen his spirit.  He jumped right back into life at home in Philly, and he credits his continued work as a technical advisor for the local district attorney’s office, along with the incredible support of his family – his wife, five children, and six grandchildren – for the strength to persevere.

 “I’ve never seen any benefit in feeling sorry for myself,” said an upbeat McDowell.  Then his thoughts turned to those around him: “I believe that this is harder on my friends and family than it is on me,” he adds quietly.

He keeps on moving, continuing to work three to five hours a day.  “Work keeps me busy, keeps me up.  When I’m up, my family is up.”  Denis said he is lucky to have never felt sick from the radiation or chemotherapy, but he has experienced muscle weakness and loss.  He hopes that increased physical therapy will help to improve the condition.

This past April, his co-worker, Theresa Campana, organized an event raising almost $7,500 for the Tug McGraw Foundation in Denis’ honor. Denis had known Tug back in Philly and said that they had “frequented the same watering holes on occasion.”  In appreciation, the Foundation invited Denis, his wife Judith, and Theresa to attend a concert by Tim McGraw and Faith Hill held on June 15th in Philadelphia.

(McDowell met up with some of the board members for the Tug McGraw Foundation at the June 15th Tim McGraw concert in Philadelphia.  Pictured from left are Foundation president Jennifer Brusstar, board member Debbie Nocito, McDowell, vice-president Jim McKeon, and McGraw’s keyboardist and board member Jeff McMahon.)

Since Denis’ diagnosis, the McDowell’s lives have changed in many ways.  “You start living differently,” said Denis.  “We’ve been on more vacations since this happened than we’ve been on our whole married lives,” he cracked.  He assured us that he still plans to celebrate his 40th anniversary on November 5, 2006, though he has a different plan.

This year, he thinks…he’ll probably skip the theatre.