The Beat: Life's work found from diagnosis

By Albert Breer/Daily News staff
 
Sunday, July 1, 2007
 
There wasn't a sport that Dan Olsen couldn't wrap his arms around.
 
He grew up playing soccer and, as a native of Sweden, got serious about skiing in high school at Lincoln-Sudbury. Then, he got to Northeastern and decided to give football a shot, playing at the Div. I-AA level as a Husky safety. And after that, he played four years for the Marlboro Shamrocks, while also picking up an interest in martial arts.
 
That's why, when the words crossed the doctor's lips in 1994, the shock was palatable for the then-29 year old.
 
Dan, you have cancer.
 
Earlier in the day, he was a happy, healthy guy who went to the doctor because he felt sick. He thought it was mono. And no matter how many times he was told about the Hodgkin's lymphoma he'd contracted, it never got easier to believe.
 
"The doctor told me that part of it was that I was so healthy, that I'd never think this would happen," said Olsen. "He said, 'If we don't start treating you tomorrow, you'll die in two weeks."'
 
In the 13 years since, Olsen has survived three bouts with cancer, with recurrences cropping up in '99 and 2001. And in dealing with it, he's found his life's work.
 
Hodgkin's lymphoma generally levies its initial hit between the ages of 15 and 30, so as Olsen was being treated, he was around children dealing with the same thing. And as tough as the recovery was on Olsen, he could only imagine how people half his age could handle it.
 
Therein, lies the genesis of Olsen's foundation: Wayland-based Christopher's Haven.
 
Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital is one of just three centers in the U.S. to offer Proton Beam radiation treatment. In essence, the highly-expensive method differs from traditional radiation in targeting the cancer without damaging surrounding tissues and organs.
 
For many afflicted by the disease, it is the best option. But it is also a logistical nightmare for those who live away from areas with a Proton Beam, forcing some families to pick up and move to get the treatment, and pricing others out of it completely.
 
Olsen, through Christopher's Haven, is looking to break down those barriers so more can find their way to this cutting-edge technology. In Sept. 2006, the group opened its first apartment to a family, and now houses 11 families at Emerson Place, in close proximity to Mass. General.
 
"We want it to be a home for kids, so they can be close by when they're treated and their families can be with them," said Olsen. "As good as the treatment is that we have in Boston, we want it to be equal for the families and their homestay. It's not just a place to stay, it's a home."
 
What Olsen and Co. have done is provide gorgeous living conditions, to go with music therapy, arts and crafts, and support groups for the families.
 
On the horizon is a standalone building that will house 8-10 additional units in a larger setting, just across the street from the hospital. And the hope is to continue growing the community from there.
 
"For families going through this, and being treated, it's so important to have other families there," said Olsen. "They come to Boston, and a lot of them aren't from this area. And they're in a scary situation, in what can be a scary city. So community becomes a huge component."
 
This community has embraced the vision. There are groups dubbed "Christopher's Angels" out of Sudbury and Wayland that have helped. Jordan's Furniture, led by Sudbury's Eliot Tatelman and Wayland's Barry Tatelman, have jumped on board by furnishing the facilities.
 
But at this point, much more needs to be done.
 
Since the Proton Beams - which treat 14 different forms of cancer - cost some $75 million a pop, the idea of more going in across the country is dicey at best. That makes Christopher's Haven even more important, by allowing people from all over to cope and deal with such crises.
 
"We want to be that facilitator," said Olsen. "We don't want anyone to say, 'We wanted to come to Boston, but we couldn't afford it.' That should be the easiest part."
 
Olsen splits his time between here and Los Angeles, where he works as a songwriter, singer and actor. And while plying his trade out West, he's been able to enlist the help of celebrities like Matt Damon, Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore and James Gandolfini, and high-profile film houses like Warner Bros.
 
Everyone, it seems, who hears about the cause rushes to jump aboard.
 
Trouble is, there are plenty of people left who have no idea about it. Christopher's Haven remains financed in full through donations, and the next step, Olsen says, is forging partnerships with corporations.
 
While waiting for that, the grassroots effort will continue in earnest, with a continued push to educate people of all walks about the work the organization is doing. For now, it's saving lives and helping families cope.
 
And that's one heck of a start.
 
Reprinted with permission from the MetroWest Daily News