Dan DesBecquets was living a healthy albeit hectic life, riding his bike in Squamish and Whistler, skateboarding and waterskiing, working for Whistler Blackcomb, and raising two kids with his wife. Then, he discovered a small lump under his armpit while putting on deodorant.
After a few days, the size didn’t reduce, and he went to the clinic. What doctors originally thought was an infected sweat gland turned out to be aggressive B-cell Lymphoma, classified as “Burkitt-like lymphoma.”
Burkitt lymphoma cancer is rare, affecting 2.5 people in every million adults. Burkitt-like lymphoma is even rarer. DesBecquets’ lump presentation was atypical, he said in an email, which he composed in bed from the BC Cancer care centre in Vancouver.
“Normally, people would have symptoms like fever, weight loss or night sweats and by that point they are very sick, with the cancer most likely in their organs, brain, bone marrow and other parts of their body. I however had none of those,” he wrote.
“I was very lucky to have the lump in my armpit present as the first sign and also very lucky that the doctors looked after me as well as they did on my initial visit to the ER. I was told that normally young people can miss the signs as they are young and healthy, and their symptoms may not be as obvious.”
DesBecquets has been in hospital since May for treatment, and he described the lead-up to his stay as “surreal.”
His doctors told him to do what he enjoyed before moving to the hospital, so he rode his bike in Squamish with friends, and then his wife Nicole and their two kids joined him for a ride at Lost Lake. The 39-year-old was jumping on his trampoline and having a birthday party with goodbye drinks before getting admitted May 22.
“To be told you have aggressive cancer while having no symptoms is difficult for the brain to accept. Now that I’m in the hospital, it seems normal,” he explained.
Changing routines with cancer
In response to the news, his friend, Thomas Thacker, organized a GoFundMe for DesBecquets. With more than $55,000 raised, it has already surpassed the initial goal of $20,000. The money will offset the financial burden on DesBecquets’ family so he can fully focus on treatment.
The fundraiser came as a surprise to his family, and DesBecquets said the organizer, Thacker, has “a heart of gold.”
He’ll spend four to six months in the hospital in total, undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy before moving to a bone marrow transplant ward, where he is now. His wife, Nicole, visits him daily, driving the Sea to Sky highway from Whistler and arriving with a smoothie in hand.
Whenever he’s up to the task, he goes outside and walks laps on the patio outside his ward or plays lawn games his wife brought to the hospital.
“I think being active has played a huge part in how well my treatment has gone so far. When the weather is not as nice, or when I’m too tired, I keep myself busy by doing puzzles, Sudoku and reading a good book that friends have kindly dropped off,” he wrote about his days in the hospital.
The total shift in routine has given him time to try something he’s wanted since he was a kid—building model car kits, which he learned would have been wasted on him as an impatient youth.
Community support
DesBecquets moved to Whistler at 18, pursuing the well-trodden path many have sought before him—riding and partying. Eventually, his priorities shifted, but his passion for outdoor activities and the community in Whistler did not. The change of pace has given him a lot of time to think about life.
“The biggest change in my life has been the amount of time that I have not been able to spend with my kids… The other major change to my life that cancer has brought, be it good or bad, is the amount of time that I have to sit back and think about life,” he wrote.
“Before, it was always go, go, go. Now I have nothing but time to think and talk about the things happening in my life and the 'what-ifs.' I think it’s important to talk about the positive AND negative things happening in your life, it clears you brain and allows you to process what’s happening in a better way.”
While DesBecquets is working on overcoming his diagnosis, countless people stepped up to the plate to help him through the journey.
He called his wife, Nicole, a superhero for advocating for him in the medical system, taking notes at appointments and driving back and forth from Whistler to Vancouver every day. She has owned Whistler Hat Gallery for 18 years, and her staff have made sure she can take time away and focus on her family.
“Her sidekicks have been our amazing group of friends who without question, have taken the reins and helped out in such thoughtful and helpful ways, like bringing cooked meals over, taking the kids for play dates and outings, offering cleaning and landscaping services,” he explained.
Extended family flew from Australia to help, and DesBecquets' coworkers at Whistler Blackcomb have helped in myriad ways, whether it was raising money as individuals, chopping and stacking wood all summer, or taking care of programming for his kids in ski and bike schools, to name just a few ways they’ve pitched in.
“Over the years, people have often commented that Whistler isn’t the same as it used to be. Like most towns, Whistler probably has changed, but when you’re in need, this town rallies like no other," he said. "While it has changed in many ways, the heart is still there, and Nicole and I have seen this first-hand during this period.”
'Make sure your voice is heard'
Since being diagnosed with cancer, DesBecquets wants to highlight how important it is to tune into your body and act if something doesn’t feel right.
Because he quickly sought medical care, the cancer didn’t spread to his organs. He walked into the oncologist and stem cell doctors’ offices, which they aren’t used to seeing.
“Most people they see with Burkitt are very ill, have very little energy and are in wheelchairs when they first see them. This is why it is so important to be proactive with your own health,” he wrote.
His treatment wouldn’t be possible without blood and platelet transfusions, or the care he’s received thanks to the BC Cancer Foundation, which fundraises to aid patients through care and cutting-edge research. He encourages people to donate blood or raise funds for BC Cancer.
Lastly, he wrote that while the nation’s health-care system has its flaws, Canadians are still quite lucky to have world-class physicians and treatment options. But advocating for yourself is an important part of accessing the system.
“If something doesn’t feel right, get another opinion. If you feel the wait is too long, call other hospitals, or ask about private options," he wrote. "Throughout my diagnosis period, we pushed to get things done earlier by following up with doctors on tests, not waiting and falling through the cracks. You need to make sure your voice is heard."
