Mustache For Dan

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Dan Stromberg is my best friend and he has cancer. He is one of the greatest guys I know and to help him tell cancer to kick rocks, I am going to do a mustache growing fund raiser.

I call it “Stache for Cash.”

Dan was recently diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. He also recently had a beautiful 7 month old baby girl. I cannot imagine how hard this has been for Dan and his family and to help ease the financial burden associated with treatment I am going to grow out my mustache.
I will be growing a mustache till at least the end of October and asking people to pledge $1/day(or $30 for the month of Oct. or really anything you feel like giving) for every day the stache grows. All of the proceeds will go directly to Dan, his 7 month baby girl and his wonderful wife. I have set up an easy Pay Pal account so all you have to do is hit the donate button to donate with your pay pal account or credit card! Every bit will help to ensure Dan won't have to use his Burial Insurance plan early.

I will be doing daily updates of my Stache progress, or at least every other day so you know this is legit. So while my Stache-Tastic Voyage kicks off, lets help Dan together.
Donate today and help my buddy out, because at the end of the day, Dan would do it for you.

Its a me! Mario!

Try not to stare directly at this thing, it will trap you in its gaze. Also, I see a lot of similarities here after they were constantly pointed out by Ashlee. :) Yep, I used an emoticon. Anyway, here you go.

All in all its pretty darn good company to be in. I mean saving princess time after time after time. I begin to think she wants to be kidnapped. How many times do you need to hang out with Bowser before you realize he will probably kidnap you.

The stache is finally feeling like a part of me, no longer is it dirty blond, faint and gross (thanks to just for men 5 minutes) seriously. Now I would wager to say I have a mustache that certain heroes wear. Lets make mistake, I am no hero, just a man with a mustache. You know who is a hero? This Guy.


Dan with his baby taking a hot cat nap. Dan continues his treatment, but each one wears on him more. As you can see, his baby is still adorable. Help Dan out if you can and donate today, every little bit helps! Thank you all! Stache On!

Happy Friday....

Happy Friday everyone! The mustache has come along quite nicely, however this thing is turning out to be more blonde than Pamela Anderson. I feel that to really demand authority with a stache it needs to be prominent enough where admirers can see it from across the room... I am not there yet.

Not sure why my eyes are so squinty, prob. because its 7am.

Anyway, as I was toiling over what to do a thought occured and after some research, I have found this.




What!?!?! Mustache dye?! Now I have seen these commercials, but thought never one as young as me would need this. However, the stache has a mind of its own and if it wants to grow blond, I can't stop it, I can only hope to contain it. What I can do is dye it. Now the only question is WHAT COLOR?! 

Stache for Cash in the Issaquah Press!

When Dan was in town the Issaquah Press asked if they could interview us and help tell Dans story. Ironically the man doing the interview had a stache to be admired. It turned out to be a very well written article and I appreciate the Issy Press' help to spread the word. You can read the story here.

http://www.issaquahpress.com/2011/10/18/friend-grows-stache-for-cash-for-childhood-buddy/ 

On the Dan update front he is doing OK. He had his most recent bout of Chemo last Wednesday and he told me yesterday it has been the worst one yet. Apparently it gets worse the longer it goes on. He still has a long road to go so if you can, please help out Dan and his family, it is easy to donate, just click on the donate button! I have really appreciated all the support and look forward to continuing the stache-tastic voyage.

Week 2 Stache Update

I am feeling pretty proud of my new friend. He is truly filling in nicely, albeit a little light in color. Im giving it another week or so but if it does not darken up, its time for some Just For Men.

I hope to inspire...... you to grow a mustache.

I have learned a lot one week into growing my first Mustache. At times I think I will never go back to a life without this statement of Manhood on my lip. For your Friday enjoyment, I bring you some quotes that I hope can inspire you to grow your own mustache and feel the joy I feel every day knowing that I am in exclusive company with the likes of one Ron Swanson or the great Lando Carriezeon. . Stache On.

" You can't buy happiness but you can grow it" - Theodore Roosevelt

"I believe one day that a man without a mustache will have to use the womans bathroom because is he really a man?"- Tom Sellick

"Never point a loaded mustache at a woman you don't intend to thrill" - Alex Trebeck 

"A man with a mustache is never alone" - Abraham Lincoln

"A man without a mustache is like a cup of tea with no sugar" English Proverb (seriously)

One week in, creeper Stache.

Dans Diagnosis Story

A lot of people have asked me about Dans diagnosis. His wife was kind enough to put together the story of how Dan found out he had cancer, the type of cancer and the whole diagnosis.Thanks to Natalie for sending this my way!

On the mustache front, it is officially in it's creepy status. You can see in the picture below Dan had a Stache of epic proportions, my hope is that my creeper stache will blossom into something of Dans status. Stay tuned for a picture later. Kick Rocks Cancer.
 

Picture taken 2 years ago. Nice Stache Dan.

About three months after our daughter was born in February, Dan started experiencing intense stomach pains, like a stabbing in his stomach. He went to the doctor to have it checked out, and they discovered that it was stomach acid coming up and burning the lining of his esophagus. They referred him to an ENT doctor, who did further tests, and discovered that he had a large mass in his neck. They ran about a weeks worth of tests and biopsies, and then found out that the lump was a lymph node that contained cancerous cells. they did a full body scan and found that nearly every lymph node in his body had been taken over by the lymphoma and that the lymph nodes in his abdomen were the biggest of all, about three of the largest tumors were as big as a tennis ball. He also had three tumors in his spleen. Based on the size of the tumors, the doctors estimate that Dan has had cancer for at least two years without knowing it (Lymphoma is nearly symptomless). Dan started a chemotherapy regimen shortly thereafter and has since had to go on leave from work and spend most of his time in bed due to the side effects of the chemicals that they are using to kill the cancer.

Help Dan out and Donate today!!

Dans visit to the Quah

Dan was able to come up for a visit and it was great spending time with him. He is in great spirits and think the best healing for cancer is breathing some Pacific North Fresh air. We spent a lot of time hanging out, reminiscing and playing with the baby. He is now heading back to UT and undergoes his next chemo round on Wednesday. Right before he left we met with the Issaquah Press who wanted to help share Dans story. We had a good interview and as Dan mentioned "didn't skirt away from the hard hitting questions." It was journalism at its finest and looking forward to seeing the article. Here are some photos from his trip.

Stache Progress day 5

 

Day 5 of the mustache growing. I am feeling pretty confident that I will have a ferocious mustache by the time this is all said and done. 

Story starting to spread!

The 'Stache for Cash campaign is starting to gain some traction. The folks over at the Mustache Institute of America, yep, thats real, was nice enough to share the story with their fellow Mustached members. Check it out here.

http://www.americanmustacheinstitute.org/blog/2011/10/friend-grows-stache-for-cash-to-aid-ailing-friend/

 

Mustache progress

Day one, cleanly shave, not nearly enough man on that face. Let the growing begin.

Do I chose the Mustache? Or will it chose me?

As I am about to embark on my Stache-Tastic voyage, I have wondered. Will I choose the style of mustache, or will it choose me? Somehow I feel like the 'stache will grow in whatever unruly, wild way it choses. I am a bit fearful, but soon hope to gain a new found respect for my soon to be lip critter. Which style do you think?