“My mom was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) in 2009,” Evans said.
MDS is a type of cancer that can hide from the immune system and, as a result, can progress quickly. Dumtschin was a member of the clergy at a local synagogue at the time and writes about her struggles post diagnosis in her book as well as how keeping a positive attitude helped her along the way.
“My mom started a Caring Bridge site to share her story,” Evans said. “Her book has all her thoughts as well as the Caring Bridge posts.”
Dumtschin’s intention, according to her daughter, was always to publish the book, but she finished it just two days before she passed away from pneumonia and complications of her cancer. Evans vowed to publish it after her mother passed.
“During the process of getting diagnosed with cancer, my mom lost her job and insurance and had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get coverage to pay for her treatment,” Evans said.
Evans was attending college at Loyola University in Chicago at the time and visiting home as often as possible. Her brother and father shared the responsibilities of caring for her mother.
Dumtschin told her doctors she didn’t want to hear any numbers or anything about life expectancy. Instead, she took all the recommended treatments and took comfort from other cancer patients through the Noble Circle Project – a Dayton-based support group committed to helping women with cancer thrive.
“Mom wrote in her book that she went on her first retreat in a carload of different people with all different types of cancer,” Evans said. “They learned about more mindful eating and manipulating energy and treatments like that.”
In December of 2009, Dumtschin went public with her diagnosis and her job was eliminated in 2010. She had been a cantor (clergy member) with the synagogue since 1998 and after her diagnosis her responsibilities were reduced, and her title was changed to music specialist.
“Mom informed the president and personnel chair she would need to get a stem cell transplant the following July,” Evans said. “They terminated her because they said she wouldn’t be able to perform her job duties.”
After losing her job, Dumtschin worried about her health insurance coverage and the cost of cancer treatment. She was able to keep her insurance for one year but was forced to apply for disability coverage after that.
Meanwhile, Evans remained in Chicago trying to finish college.
“Mom called to tell me that her cancer had turned into leukemia,” Evans said. “She vowed she would make it to my graduation.”
Evans said she became very depressed and is grateful that her college was supportive and gave her time to visit her family.
“The summer before graduation, I had to stay for summer school,” Evans said. “But I wasn’t even thinking about what I was going to do or going to grad school or finding a job. I just wanted to be home.”
Evans came home to visit her mother the week she passed away. Dumtschin was hospitalized because the cancer had reached her lungs. She passed on Feb. 14, 2013 - one week before her 57th birthday.
Since her mother’s death, Evans has married and had a son. And she always knew she’d do what it took to publish her mother’s book. Evans said reading the book again was an emotional experience, especially when she read how much her mom wanted to live.
Credit: SAMANTHA MYERS
Credit: SAMANTHA MYERS
“I researched self-publishing and have a friend who agreed to edit it for me,” Evans said. “Finally I buckled down and decided I would put everything together while my son was napping.”
Now that the book has been published and about 90 copies have sold on Amazon.com, Evans said readers have said they are impressed by her mother’s positive outlook in the face of so much hardship.
“My mom had a very dry sense of humor,” Evans said. “People are surprised at the humor in the book.”
Evans said she knows her mom would be proud of her for getting the book published and sharing her story.
“It was always her intention to get this story out there,” Evans said. “It was never meant to sit on my computer. I think she would be very happy that it’s finally out.”
Dumtschin’s book is available on Amazon.com.
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