Mauss battles cancer with help of family, friends

It was small town Iowa at its finest as an estimated 1,000 people squeezed into the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds Exhibit Building in Grinnell to show their love and support for the Dan Mauss family.

The Dan Mauss Benefit, held Jan. 27, was attended by a host of family, friends, area farmers and customers of Van Wall Equipment, where Dan is employed.

Family and friends traveled from all across Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri to attend.

The money raised will help the Mauss family in Dan’s brain cancer fight. The amount raised has not been released.

“I’ve shed a lot of tears for what everyone has done,” said Dan. “I’m so happy that so many people have reached out to me and attended the benefit.”

The benefit was under the direction of a committee of six area couples: Brian and Lori Van Roekel, Jim and Jane Jenkins, Ron and Sally Lang, Steve and Ronda Vojtech, Don and Jennifer Slagle and Brian and Norah Mauss.

They were joined by a host of volunteers who did everything from setting up the venue, helping with the auction, serving food and handling a myriad jobs.

The event included a silent and a live auction under the direction of Stan McIIrath and Ryan Iverson. All the items in the auctions were donated.

Also included in the event were a 50-50 raffle and a Gator raffle.

An evening meal was served by Pagliai’s in Grinnell for a donation. An estimated 900 people attended.

Grinnell Eagles provided the bar.

Dan learned of the cancer in November.

“I was having headaches and forgetting names at work,” he said.

On Nov. 16, Dan and his wife, Nicole, went to see Dr. Patrick Cogley at MercyOne Newton Medical Center.

“He asked me some questions and right away knew something wasn’t right,” said Dan. “I didn’t know why I was forgetting things. Dr. Cogley ordered a CT scan that day and told me I had a tumor in my brain.”

Dan was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a type of cancer that starts as a growth of cells in the brain or spinal cord. It grows quickly and can invade and destroy healthy tissues.

Surgery was performed Nov. 22 at MercyOne Hospital in Des Moines. Doctors removed the cancerous tumor during a 4 1/2-hour surgery.

“I was in the hospital on Wednesday and had the surgery and went home on Friday at noon,” said Dan.

“The doctors couldn’t believe how well I was doing. The nurse came to my room on Friday morning (Nov. 24) and had me walk several flights of stairs and the hallway and was amazed at how good I was doing.”

Since returning home, the scar from the surgery on Dan’s left side, which resembled a question mark, has completely healed.

He is currently traveling, with the aid of a driver, to Des Moines Monday through Friday for chemotherapy and radiation and takes a chemotherapy pill seven days a week.

Dan said doctors told him when he started the chemotherapy and radiation that he might experience sickness.

“I’ve done really well,” he said. “I haven’t been sick from the treatments.”

He will wrap up six-weeks of chemotherapy and radiation on Feb. 14 and will return for a follow up CT scan March 16.

“I feel that the cancer is gone,” he said. “My attitude is, I’m going to beat this. I want to get back to normal, I want this stuff to go away. I’m going to beat it because all my family and friends are praying for me and supporting my family.”

“He’s a legend,” Kerri Carl, a co-worker at Van Wall Equipment who lost her father to a brain tumor 4 1/2 years ago, said of Dan.

“I’ve seen firsthand Dan go above and beyond for his customers at Van Wall,” said Carl. “When it was time for the benefit, his customers came out in full force and gave back to him.

“He has one heck of a support squad behind him. If anyone deserves a miracle, it is definitely Dan Mauss. He’s a great person all around.”

Dan is a member of the Knights of Columbus and he and his family attend St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Grinnell with Kent Reed.

“I always do a Knights of Columbus fundraiser during the Grinnell Fourth of July Parade,” said Reed. “Dan helps us get a Gator to drive in the parade and Ahrens Park afterward to sell ice cream. I’m impressed how tight and supportive the farming community is.”

Matt Stemper of Caledonia, Minn., works with Dan’s brother, Jeff, and made the trip to Grinnell to support the Mauss family.

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” said Stemper. “I think this is such an awesome event. To see this many people is unbelievable. It’s overwhelming to see the outreach of the community.”

“I really appreciate all the support from the community and family and friends,” added Richelle Seitz of Newton. “Thanks again to the village of people it took to make this event so successful.”

Jane Jenkins, a member of the Dan Mauss Benefit Committee along with her husband, Jim, said they were grateful that Dan and Nicole where able to take part in the benefit.

“They were so grateful and a bit overwhelmed by all the family and friends who were able to come,” said Jane.

“The silent auction gave everyone a chance to take home something that caught their eye. The food was great and the live auction was lively. It brought a lot of competitive bidding.” Jane said.

“Dan’s mom made several pies, which were bought then given back to resale again seven times. It was electrifying. Though the benefit is over, we can continue to support the Mauss family through our prayers.”

“It was a tremendous event,” said Marcia Iverson. “It was way bigger than anyone could have imagined. Dan and Nicole are just wonderful people. Anybody that knows them or is related wanted to help. It was really great how generous everyone was.”

Lori Van Roekel, a member of the Dan Mauss Benefit planning committee along with her husband, Brian, said they can’t even begin to name the number of people that helped behind the scenes.

“I don’t think there was ever a time when we were told no to any request the committee made,” said Van Roekel.

“The love and giving shown by the people of Poweshiek County and really from across the country was overwhelming. I would encourage everyone to find a place in their lives where they can reach out and help someone else. It truly is a blessing to give from the heart.”

Dan, who was raised in New Albin, and Nicole, who is from Lansing, met in high school. Following graduation in 1989, Dan went through the John Deere Ag Tech program at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar.

He moved to Grinnell in November 1992 and was the first employee hired when Ron and Curt Lang purchased the John Deere dealership in Grinnell and renamed it Lang Brothers Equipment.

Dan and Nicole were married Aug. 8, 1998. They have three children, Spencer, 24, Megan, 21, and Rylee, 15.

Donations are still being accepted. Checks should be made out to Dan Mauss Benefit, c/o First State Bank, P.O. Box 447, Grinnell, IA 50112.