Breast Cancer Treatment - A Patient's Perspective on Modern Advances

Dan Swanson was in the hospital preparing for a stem cell transplant—the next step in his treatment for multiple myeloma. “I was supposed to be angry and depressed,” he recalls, “but I just felt wonderful.” He says his journey forced him not to worry about the future or dwell on the past months of excruciating pain. “Instead,” he adds, “I was filled with gratitude.”

The 2019-2020 school year was to be the last of Dan’s long career as a special education teacher in central Florida when he began having severe back pain and difficulty walking. Multiple physician visits, blood tests, and referrals to pain management and physical therapy over the course of “many months” brought no answers and no relief.

He eventually chose to schedule—and pay out of pocket for—an MRI, which revealed plasmacytomas on his lower spine, a rare blood cancer in which abnormal plasma cells form tumors in bone or soft tissue.

A surgeon referred him to Dr. William Grow, a medical oncologist and hematologist with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) in Winter Park—marking the beginning of what he describes as an “amazing” experience.

“On a Monday afternoon,” Dan recalls, “Dr. Grow called me himself. He said he was seeing new patients the following day and asked if I could come in.”

“I arrived in excruciating pain, using a walker, without a clear diagnosis and a desperate need to know what was going on,” Dan says. “Dr. Grow just took charge—he reviewed my test results and set me up to be admitted to the hospital.” During the appointment, his wife sat beside him and cried. “Her tears were relief, because we finally found somebody who was listening and giving us the best course of action.”

Dr. Grow oversaw Dan’s inpatient care, where a bone marrow biopsy and testing revealed another plasmacytoma on T-11 of his spine and confirmed a diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

“Although highly treatable, my condition was progressing rapidly, and without swift intervention, Dr. Grow warned I could lose the ability to walk because the tumor was pressing against my spinal cord,” he said. Together, they reviewed the available options and agreed on a course of treatment.

Dan underwent his first radiation treatment and, immediately, his pain was gone—for the first time in years. Following Induction chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, he continued maintenance treatment for three years with Revlimid®, an oral immunotherapy drug which helped to delay his disease progression. Dan reports that his followup scans continue to be good and he’s feeling very well.

“I am so grateful for the care I got from Dr. Grow, his APRN Lauren Sharon, and the entire team at FCS,” Dan says. “The whole system has been consistently good. I’ve appreciated having the same support staff for years; it’s not been a revolving door of people coming and going –that speaks a lot.”

Dr. Grow commented, “Mr. Swanson is the type of person who makes our job as oncologists extremely gratifying. He is a patient that doctors learn from, especially witnessing his focus and resolve to beat myeloma. Being able to see his remarkable progress to remission has been a true privilege for our team.”

From Patient to Mentor: Supporting Others Along the Way

“I am so grateful for the care I got from Dr. Grow, his APRN Lauren Sharon, and the entire team at FCS,” Dan says. “The whole system has been consistently good. I’ve appreciated having the same support staff for years; it’s not been a revolving door of people coming and going –that speaks a lot.”

While undergoing treatment, Dan connected with the HealthTree Foundation, a nonprofit that supports people with blood cancers through patient education, peer support, clinical trial resources, and research programs. He quickly immersed himself in the foundation’s patient education and support initiatives. Motivated by a deep desire to give back, he became a mentor in its coaching program—drawing on his own cancer experience to guide and support others facing similar journeys.  He has made meaningful connections through this role, including with a fellow multiple myeloma survivor in Kenya who is starting a nonprofit to address areas of extreme need there.

Dan also shares his perspective through Notes From a Good Life, a personal blog where he reflects on mindfulness, gratitude, and intentional living—offering lessons from his cancer journey and practical strategies for staying present, managing stress, and finding meaning in everyday life.

Finding Joy in Every Step

Today, Dan clearly is enjoying “just living in the moment.” In June 2023 he took a two-week trip to Spain with his two adult sons. “Being able to walk pain-free, exploring different trails and castles, enjoying the food and spending time with my sons, was phenomenal!” The trio are considering a return to Spain to travel the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

Dan continues to look for new ways to contribute, exploring opportunities through mentorship and fundraising to further support the blood cancer community.  He remains grounded in gratitude and focused on making a difference one connection at a time.