Jennifer Dankenbrink, known to many as “Dank”, has been a teacher at LHS since 2003, and the varsity girls’ soccer and girls’ golf coach. Over a year ago, she suddenly was not able to do her daily activities as she normally could. After going to a doctor, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She then thought, “Maybe I should get another opinion, so I went to Memorial Sloan Kettering and Columbia Presidential Hospital. I had a deep tissue biopsy at Columbia in which they accidentally punctured my lung. I was in the hospital for 10 days with a tube in my lung, and while I was there, both oncologists from Sloan and Columbia confirmed that it was not Hodgkin’s, but it was a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma called Grey Zone Lymphoma (a combination of Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma). The National Institute of Health in Washington, D.C. confirmed my diagnosis. If I would have stayed with the original hospital that misdiagnosed me, I would have died within six months.” Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, involving immune cells.

Dankenbrink’s disease was life-threatening and getting worse. “I was told that I had a very fast-growing tumor, and I did not have much time, so I started chemotherapy, called R-EPOCH, immediately. With the support of my oncologist and my amazing family and friends, I began my journey to beat cancer. My treatment included six rounds of a 96-hour infusion of chemo once every three weeks.  During my first round, I had to spend the week in the hospital.” Dankenbrink had to go through a lot of treatment in hope of beating Lymphoma. Not only did she and her family have to deal with her being in the hospital and getting treatment, but another conflict arose. “The second night I was there, my husband was driving home with my children from visiting me, and he got a phone call from a police officer saying that my mother-in-law tripped on her carpet, hit her head, and passed away. It was devastating news for my husband, me, and our children. Unfortunately, I was not able to go to the wake or the funeral because my immune system was so compromised that I was not able to be in any crowds.” Unfortunately, Dankenbrink was forced to miss out on a time that her family may have needed her, but was warmed by others’ willingness to step in to help,  “I was so touched by how all my Lynbrook family was there to support my husband.”

After this devastating loss, things were looking up, as she was able to do the next two rounds of treatment from home. But then, “After the third round I started not to feel well at all. It was Father’s Day, and I was ready to start chemo on Monday. My oldest son had a lacrosse tournament, and I was on the sideline watching. All of the sudden, I had a grandmal seizure on the sideline. I woke up in an ambulance, and I spent the next week and a half back in the hospital.”

Dankenbrink was able to receive temporary relief from blood and platelet transfusions: “I would often be extremely lethargic before the transfusions, and the impact was almost instantaneous with the transfusions kicking in almost immediately and giving me renewed energy to carry on fighting my illness.”

Dankenbrink frequently remembered her students who had donated blood in the past to help others like herself, “I often thought about all my students who donated blood during the school day and was so appreciative. I had a total of two infusions and 10 blood transfusions.”

Unfortunately, chemotherapy took a great toll on Dankenbrink’s health. She explained, “I lost 30 pounds and all of my hair. Between the constant pain, nausea, mouth sores, and fatigue, I looked and felt totally disfigured. There were many days when I looked in the mirror and I did not recognize the frail, bald person looking back at me.” She went on to express how every day she was thinking of her students and how grateful she was for her family that she had made at LHS.

Dankenbrink had to undergo intense treatments and fight one continuous battle after another. She finished chemotherapy on Jul 15, 2017, but began radiation treatment the week after. “I had 30 rounds of radiation where I would have to go every week day. Radiation was not as painful it just made me very fatigued. I was done with radiation on Sep. 15, 2017. After Thanksgiving, I started to have some pain on my back. After a biopsy, they found that I had gotten the shingles virus. That lasted about two weeks, and it was very painful. I started to get my strength up and decided to host Christmas eve, it was a bad idea.  My immune system was very poor, and I had contracted the flu virus. I thought if I rested and got meds that I would feel better, but I was wrong. The flu turned into pneumonia, and then they were concerned that it was a super infection. So, I was back in the hospital for three weeks. After they cleared me, I could finally go home.”

With such a difficult battle to fight, Dankenbrink relied on her community: “I believe a huge part of my success is being part of the Lynbrook family. The love and support I got from my friends, administrators, parents, and students helped me push through. I had so many friends and colleagues visit me that I was quickly dubbed, ‘The most popular patient in the hospital.’ I was given time to heal, and for that, I will forever be grateful. All of the fundraisers helped for all medical bills to be paid and helped with the stress of other monetary issues that come with cancer treatment.” Dankenbrink continued, “This tragic event has shown me how many people care about me deeply, showing their concern through visits, phone calls, texts, letters, emails, messages through family, and heartfelt gifts. Ignorantly, I hadn’t realized this before.” This tragedy brought a realization of the good within people, and showed her people do, truly, care.

While Dankenbrink’s battle with cancer left her an arduous recovery ahead, it also taught her to appreciate her life every day she lives it: “I set goals for myself, like walking and biking. The stronger that I would get, the longer the distance I would walk/jog/bike. I would try to do as much of the insanity videos as my body would let me do. I also researched cancer fighting foods and try to stay to a strictly organic diet. I never gave up, even when I was scared.”

After a long intense battle with her cancer, Dankenbrink has fortunately been able to return to teaching position at LHS, “I am so happy to be back teaching and just being back at school with my Lynbrook family. I am not sad or upset I had cancer. I am grateful to be a survivor. Cancer did forever change my life. It made me more conscious about how I live. It made me slow down and appreciate all that I have around me. I now know that a cancer diagnosis does not always mean sudden death. I was 39 years old when I was diagnosed; I am optimistic about the decades of birthdays to come, watching my kids grow up and graduate high school and enjoying life. My husband and I are back to doing and planning all the things we love as a family—traveling, attending our children’s sports events, and just simply being together.”

This was a tragic, unimaginable event  no one ever expects to happen to him or her. Dankenbrink was able to overcome all of her obstacles and come out a survivor, getting stronger every day and never giving up. Thankfully, after long treatments, she was able to beat her disease. She even returned to LHS this school year, teaching algebra. Freshman Alessia Rovito described Dankenbrink as a teacher, stating, “She is caring to her students. If we do not understand a question, she will always go back and help the people that need it.”

Among her biggest supporters in her recovery was Lisa Gallo, Dankenbrink’s assistant coach and former player, along with the rest of the soccer team. Last year’s Soccer Day raised money for the Lymphoma Research Foundation in Dankenbrink’s honor. Gallo stated, “Dank has always been one of the strongest people I have ever met; if there was anyone I would bet on to beat it this disease, it would be her. She instantly became one of the biggest role models in my life and continues to be today. I had the privilege to begin coaching Varsity Soccer with her in 2012, which I was beyond excited about because I knew how amazing of a coach she was. She puts in 100% into everything she does and would never give less. The past year-and-a-half has not been easy for her, but this is not what has defined her or made her a strong person.”

Senior and varsity soccer captain Jess Woll, whom Dankenbrink coached, added, “On top of being one of the strongest people, Dank is also an amazing, supportive coach. She only wants you to succeed and will help you achieve your goals no matter what.”

Dank is revered as a strong, passionate, amazing coach and a role model. She had a lasting impact on many of her past students. Fortunately, she is able to continue her teaching career and influence more students. All of Lynbrook is so grateful that Mrs. Dankenbrink was able to overcome cancer and come back home to our LHS family.