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Last February, after spending 16 hours in the hospital, 5th Ward Geneva Alderman Ralph Dantino told his doctor he needed to be discharged because he had a dance to perform to raise money for arts and education in the city.
It was a Saturday night, and Dantino was exhausted because he hadn’t slept in two days. He was admitted to Delnor Hospital at 2 a.m. that day because of severe stomach pain associated with his appendix cancer.
He wasn’t discharged until about 6 p.m.
The dance was just two hours later.
“I was just determined to make it that night,” Dantino said. “…I guess the adrenaline got me through.”
His performance was part of Dancing with Geneva Stars, a fundraiser for the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission and the Geneva Academic Foundation. Dantino performed swing with his wife, Nancy, to compete against other dancers for $1 donation votes.
Today, almost a year later, that same determination perseveres as he battles cancer while serving his city as an alderman. During a recent Geneva City Council meeting, he cast votes and made comments via conference call as he recovered from surgery he had in September. Dantino also attended some council meetings after his surgery, where he was noticeably thinner and fatigued.
Dantino, 55, was diagnosed in March, 2009. In December 2010, he learned the cancer spread to his omentum, which is inside the abdomen.
There’s no cure for his cancer, and it can be ultimately fatal.
Still, Dantino said there’s no set time limit on his life. He underwent surgery in Baltimore in September, which should prolong and make his quality of his life better. During the surgery, doctors opened his abdomen, scraped much of the cancer off his internal organs and performed chemotherapy inside his body.
“I’m getting better everyday, getting stronger,” he said.
However, he had a bit of a setback last month and spent a few days at Delnor Hospital for stomach pain.
But he’s trying to stay positive with the help of his family.
“This (cancer) has definitely challenged me to enjoy every moment you can, because you never know when things can change,” Dantino said.
He and Nancy have been married for 27 years, which is how long they’ve lived in Geneva. They were brought together by their shared passion for running. However, Dantino doesn’t run anymore.
Instead, he said he sees five specialists in the area and visits a doctor at least once a week. He expects to start chemotherapy sometime in the next few months after he recovers from surgeries.
Last February, after spending 16 hours in the hospital, 5th Ward Geneva Alderman Ralph Dantino told his doctor he needed to be discharged because he had a dance to perform to raise money for arts and education in the city.
It was a Saturday night, and Dantino was exhausted because he hadn’t slept in two days. He was admitted to Delnor Hospital at 2 a.m. that day because of severe stomach pain associated with his appendix cancer.
He wasn’t discharged until about 6 p.m.
The dance was just two hours later.
“I was just determined to make it that night,” Dantino said. “…I guess the adrenaline got me through.”
His performance was part of Dancing with Geneva Stars, a fundraiser for the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission and the Geneva Academic Foundation. Dantino performed swing with his wife, Nancy, to compete against other dancers for $1 donation votes.
Today, almost a year later, that same determination perseveres as he battles cancer while serving his city as an alderman. During a recent Geneva City Council meeting, he cast votes and made comments via conference call as he recovered from surgery he had in September. Dantino also attended some council meetings after his surgery, where he was noticeably thinner and fatigued.
Dantino, 55, was diagnosed in March, 2009. In December 2010, he learned the cancer spread to his omentum, which is inside the abdomen.
There’s no cure for his cancer, and it can be ultimately fatal.
Still, Dantino said there’s no set time limit on his life. He underwent surgery in Baltimore in September, which should prolong and make his quality of his life better. During the surgery, doctors opened his abdomen, scraped much of the cancer off his internal organs and performed chemotherapy inside his body.
“I’m getting better everyday, getting stronger,” he said.
However, he had a bit of a setback last month and spent a few days at Delnor Hospital for stomach pain.
But he’s trying to stay positive with the help of his family.
“This (cancer) has definitely challenged me to enjoy every moment you can, because you never know when things can change,” Dantino said.
He and Nancy have been married for 27 years, which is how long they’ve lived in Geneva. They were brought together by their shared passion for running. However, Dantino doesn’t run anymore.
Instead, he said he sees five specialists in the area and visits a doctor at least once a week. He expects to start chemotherapy sometime in the next few months after he recovers from surgeries.
Now, Nancy helps her husband attach an IV that feeds a saline solution into his body to keep him hydrated. But a procedure that he underwent last week at Delnor should make the IV unnecessary.
Still, Nancy said she doesn’t mind serving as her husband’s caretaker.
“It’s just something I have to do for better or worse and in sickness and health,” she said.
She does all this while running a day care out of their house.
In addition to her physical assistance, Nancy said she tries keeping her husband’s mood upbeat. She has help now that two of their five children — 23-year-old twins Lindsay and Drew — have returned home to live for financial reasons.
“It’s all about family sticking together,” Nancy said.
The Dantinos and their children have participated in cancer fundraisers, such as the American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life in the summer of 2010 at the Kane County Cougars Stadium. However, Dantino wasn’t able to attend the event last year because of his surgery.
While Dantino has people helping him at home, he also has people who care for him at the city.
In fact, this is not the first time a city leader has been struck by cancer. In July 2010, Geneva Building Commissioner Chuck Lencioni lost his battle with the disease.
“Contrary to what many people may perceive, the fact of the matter is the
Geneva City Council is like a family,” said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns.
Dantino’s only been an alderman for three years, but Burns said fellow council members embrace him.
“Ralph Dantino certainly has a passion and love for his community and I think that shows regularly,” Burns said. “He’s a likable guy with a dry sense of humor and quick wit.”
Even though he’s sick, Dantino continues to serve on the board because of the support he’s received from city officials and the public. During his fall surgery in Baltimore, Dantino said several people from Geneva sent gifts, letters and prayers.
“They’ve been great to me,” Dantino said. “And I’m committed to giving back.”
He’s retired from his day job in the manufacturing industry, so the city — as well as his spot on the Geneva Community Mental Health Board — are his only responsibilities outside of family life.
Dantino said he’s determined to continue serving as an alderman, especially with city’s budget preparation in the coming months. He said the council’s goal is trying to keep up with the poor economy.
It’s proof that even though he knows his cancer can’t be cuhe hasn’t stopped looking toward the future. This summer, he expects to feel better and said there are plenty of places across the country he’d like to travel with his family.
Until then, it’s one day at time for Dantino as he recovers from his latest surgery. And when he does, he said he’s eager to get back to work.
