A Calgary couple who’ve both lost their jobs and both been diagnosed with cancer say they are humbled by the support they’ve received.
“Yesterday, going to Sobeys, a person came up and gave me a hug,” Dan Desgagne said Monday, explaining people had seen their story on TV. “Today, just going to the hospital, I’m just a little nicer to people.
“People seem to be talking about it, notice us, come over and say something nice and I just want to pass that on.”
One week after Dan and Darlene Desgagne created a GoFundMe account, they exceeded their $15,000 goal by raising over three times that amount.
“One friend suggested that we create a ‘GoFundMe page to try to take the worry of finances off our plate so that we can both focus on our health issues and to help each other recover,” Darlene wrote on the fundraising page. “Our goal would be to have enough income that we could spend the next three months recuperating without the worry and burden of accumulating debt.”
Watch below from Dec. 16: A Calgary couple has been dealt a devastating blow and is now forced to turn to the generosity of friends and strangers. Both the husband and wife recently lost their jobs and both have been diagnosed with cancer. Jill Croteau reports.
Dan is going through radiation and chemotherapy for Stage 4 throat cancer and Darlene has uterine cancer. They’re dealing with their illnesses while raising two sons, 21 and 17 years old.
“When I was diagnosed with cancer…it’s nothing,” Darlene said through tears in an interview with Global’s Jill Croteau on Friday. “When your loved one is diagnosed, it strikes the fear of God.
“We hugged each other and said, ‘maybe we’ll go together.’”
On Monday, Darlene said the response has been a “very humbling experience.”
“Dan and I, we just feel like we have people that care for us. People that we didn’t even know and people that have come from our past on this page that we haven’t talked to for years. It’s just amazing the amount of care that we feel.”
She said people have reached out with offers including a family portrait and a turkey. One friend brought a week’s worth of food over to be kept in the freezer.
“I’m trying to thank everyone and boy, my list is growing,” Darlene said.
Dan’s city bus driver sent a $200 donation.
The couple said the experience has shown them that it’s important to take the time to be kind and help out “your fellow human beings” when you can.
“Calgary is a very generous community,” Dan added. “We’ve known that for a while. To be experiencing it on this level just confirms it even more so.”
“I will forever be available, God willing, to help where I can in going forward to assist those in need as I recognize what a rough journey this is,” Dan wrote on the GoFundMe page on Sunday. “I have always been one to give of my time and efforts and financial support and will continue to seek out places I can have an impact on others who are in need at the time…
“Many thanks to all, God Bless, stay healthy and Merry Christmas.”
With files from Global’s Jill Croteau
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