“In March 2022, a routine visit to my urologist turned into something far more serious. After an ultrasound, the doctor confirmed a “kidney mass.” What I thought would be an easy fix became a terrifying reality. When I Googled “kidney mass,” cancer was the first result – and that was my eventual diagnosis. I was scared and had no idea how much my life was about to change. Thanks to my wife Meg, my daughter Halle, my best friend/ brother Torey Lovullo, my additional family and friends, and my dedicated medical team, I am now ready to share my story and to change the stories of others.
The past three and a half years of my life have been a blur of appointments, consultations, surgeries, chemo, radiation, ablations and multiple hospital stays. The cancer has spread from my kidney to my lungs, liver, and a special surprise, under my chest muscle and onto my skin. After surgery to remove my kidney, as I had a 6-pound mass that had overtaken the kidney, I was diagnosed with a rare cancer, leiomyosarcoma. We sought second opinions from City of Hope and flew to NYC to meet with specialists at Memorial Sloan Kettering and ultimately chose aggressive treatment with Dr. Singh at UCLA.
I am seeking to raise contributions equaling $50,000 to raise awareness and so that Dr. Singh will be able to move forward, with colleagues, on innovative research to better understand and treat this complex, challenging diagnosis. Any amount you can donate will make an impact and be deeply appreciated.
Through it all, I’ve learned that cancer doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed—it impacts everyone who loves them, and people that you meet through this journey.
My first call was to Meg, and at that moment, my world shifted. Telling her made this too real. I met her in the parking lot of our work, fighting back tears, and struggled to tell her what was happening. She stood strong, and from that moment on, Meg became my unwavering support. She’s been in front of me listening to the Drs, by my side through scans, surgeries, ablations, radiation appointments, and chemo sessions and consultations, and pushing me to be better every day! Her strength has been nothing short of incredible. She held my hand when I couldn’t stand, cried with me when the weight of it all became too much, listened when I couldn’t hear and celebrated every small victory along the way. Meg is not just my wife; she’s business partner, my steady source of strength in every sense.
My best friend, Torey Lovullo, has been by my side since first grade and is like a brother to me. Torey (and his wife Kristen) have been a constant source of strength, always reminding me I’m not alone in this fight. I give out yellow rubber bracelets with the words “No One Fights Alone” – Torey has never taken his off and is a daily reminder of the incredible support he has given, I get to see him and the bracelet on TV when he is managing the Diamondbacks. Torey also wears bright yellow Nikes during Batting Practice. When he’s asked about them, he willingly tells our story and my fight.
To my incredible work fam at DESIGN360unlimited—clients, reps, teammates, and fellow creatives—thank you for holding down the fort while I’ve been off getting poked, prodded, and zapped during treatments. You’ve not only kept the creative magic alive, but you’ve also reminded me what a joy it is to be part of a team that’s wildly talented and wildly supportive. I couldn’t do this without you (and I wouldn’t want to!).
To my sports crew—thank you for tolerating me as I heal and treating me “normal” with your trash-talking. You didn’t give me a single inch of pity—just the perfect mix of jokes, jabs, and “friendly” competition that kept me feeling normal and motivated. Honestly, trying to keep up with you all has been the best form of physical therapy I could’ve asked for… even if my body wants to quit.
I also want to thank my amazing doctors at UCLA: A team of Superheroes led by Dr. Singh (The Manager), Dr. Yanagawa (The Lung Surgeon), Dr. Genshaft (The Ablation-ist), Dr. Reddy (The Radiologist), and Dr. Rettig (my High Schools BF Laura Kaplan’s husband – Dr Rettig reviewed scans late at night and talked me off the ledge in his off hours), who’ve been a true all-star team guiding me through every step. It’s also important for me to recognize Dr. Eric Yang, my cardio-oncologist, who is helping me address the side effects of cancer treatments relative to my heart health (a fairly common occurrence.) Any funds donated towards the next $50,000 will be directed to his vital work.
Special thanks to Byrdie Lifson-Pompan, my dear friend since elementary school, whose guidance and wisdom and honesty have been invaluable throughout this journey.
I’m beyond grateful and so sorry for my daughter, Halle, who has shown more strength than any child should have. To my family and friends, who keep me going with their love, humor and encouragement, thank you. They were strong when I wasn’t and always reminded me that I am not alone.
And a final thanks to Meg, my wife, best friend and business partner in DESIGN360unlimited. She has been my backbone throughout it all. Without her, I could’ve crumbled…Meg’s been my strength, my courage, and the heart of this fight. With love for her and Halle, especially, I want to change the care and impact of leiomyosarcoma.
The JCCF stands for the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit within UCLA solely dedicated to philanthropy for cancer research and patient care. They will send you an official tax deduction / thank you letter.
Each donor will get a “NoOneFightsAlone” bracelet. A small gesture to wear or have as part of my team.
Love and grateful every day-
Dean Singer
#carpediem
#cancerresearch
#noonefightsalone”
Here is the link to donate to the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation at Dean’s fundraiser: https://givebutter.com/NoOneFightsAloneUCLACancer?fbclid=IwdGRjcANLapNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHudJ-BPe8dOHB28g4OC0PQquT1UzIBHHWEMwYXVKaCnJNtNiq3YHiDNziquT_aem_vbOOsZ9oaO1pLbS58fuRFw
The UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation is the single-most important vehicle for raising private funds for cancer research and patient care at UCLA. The U.S. News & Special Report named the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (UCLA Health JCCC) one of the top cancer centers in the nation. In the last 11 years, research conducted at the UCLA Health JCCC has led or contributed to 27 approvals from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for new cancer treatments or protocols, a remarkable achievement. These include therapies for melanoma and lymphoma as well as cancer of the breast, lung, liver and prostate. Often, discoveries made in one cancer type speeds progress against a variety of malignancies.
