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We\u2019ve used these pages in the past to pay tribute to folks \u2013 sometimes knowing they might read the words themselves; other times (too often, it seems) in memory of them.<\/p>\n
This month we wanted to do a follow-up on a story from back in the spring of this year \u2026 and bring you the best kind of news.<\/p>\n
You may remember our feature in the April issue on Dan Staples, the 65-year-old fisherman from Cushing, ME who was facing the fight of his life \u2013 literally.<\/p>\n
At that time, Dan was just beginning an aggressive series of chemo treatments to combat a stage IV cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n
Attitude-wise, you couldn\u2019t ask for any better than Dan; he\u2019d met the doctor\u2019s assessment head-on with a flash of humor: \u201cWell, that\u2019s unacceptable, doc.\u00a0 My retirement plan is to become a miserable old man and I\u2019m not old enough yet to retire<\/i> \u2026 so I guess we need to figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n
As positive as he was, Dan was realistic, as well.\u00a0 He felt he needed to sell his beloved 38\u2019 South Shore Luke William \u201cjust in case.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want my wife Cindy to have to deal with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think it was more than a few days after our conversation that the Luke William was sold to a young lobsterman from Vinalhaven \u2013 a sad moment for Dan, but one that left him clear to focus on beating his cancer.<\/p>\n
The chemo regimen prescribed by Dan\u2019s doctor was a tough one: a series of bi-weekly treatments, 12 in total.\u00a0 \u201cThey told me that oftentimes people only get through 9 or 10 of them,\u201d says Dan.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s pretty nasty stuff.\u00a0 But I ended up doing all 12.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a tough stretch, but Dan kept his courage up and stayed with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to try to be positive,\u201d he says.\u00a0 \u201cNo matter what you\u2019re going through, there\u2019s someone going through something a lot worse.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s easy to have \u2018Poor, poor me\u2019 thoughts.\u00a0 But I was thinking, \u2018How am I going to beat this?\u00a0 I need to be around for my wife and children – how am I going beat this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Eight treatments in \u2013 back in July \u2013 Dan\u2019s doctor gave him the news: the tumor was shrinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked him, \u2018Does it look good enough for me to buy a boat?\u2019\u201d says Dan.\u00a0 \u201cI just wanted to get back out on the water \u2013 and that little hint of hope was all I needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
With four more treatments to go, Dan searched the used boat listings for something he could pay cash for and set some traps out with.<\/p>\n
He ended up down in Winter Harbor, looking at a …<\/p>\n
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\nNOVEMBER 2017 issue of\u00a0Commercial Fisheries News.![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CFN_11_17-cover-243x300.jpg\")
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