Founder

MY STORY MY DIAGNOSIS DOES NOT DEFINE ME dan-founder

Message From The Founder

My Story

My name is Daniel Hight, founder of More Than Our Story. On the morning of December 17th, 2020, my life changed forever. I was at my desk, a single, working father, just 39 years old, when the unimaginable happened – during a video conference call with colleagues, I had a seizure. I can remember the seizure coming on, and I remember the concern in my colleagues’ voices quickly mounting, “Call 911!”. I recall struggling for air as my body shook, but I also remember a sense of calmness. I knew then there was more to my story.​

I recall struggling for air as my body shook, but I also remember a sense of calmness. I knew then there was more to my story.

Initial Diagnosis

The paramedics arrived within a few minutes and loaded me in the ambulance to the hospital. A battery of tests quickly commenced, and before the sun had set, I received the news that would change my life for the better – I had a brain tumor. An overnight stay was followed by a transfer to another hospital, where an MRI confirmed the initial diagnosis: a plum-sized tumor in the left frontal lobe. I immediately met with a neurosurgeon who recommended immediate resection surgery through a procedure known as an awake craniotomy. Due to the tumor’s location, this type of procedure would allow for maximum resection, with minimal risk of permanent damage to my speech or motor skills.

Pre-Surgery

The next few weeks, I was forced to face my mortality, and a lot sooner than I had ever thought. Truthfully, I had never considered my death as something that was a certainty. It was always so far down the road it seemed somehow imaginary, something I would eventually contemplate after a long, fulfilled life. With surgery looming on the horizon, I maintained my positivity, never allowing negative thoughts to get the best of me. I was at peace with my mortality and my eventual death, life’s only certainty. I got my affairs in order before surgery. As we approached the hospital doors, my dad was stopped due to the social distancing measures because of COVID-19. I turned around, hugged him, and told him, “I’ve got this.” I walked in with a smile and was at peace.

Surgery

I underwent the awake craniotomy on the morning of January 13th, 2021. I can recall almost the whole procedure when I was awake. My head was fastened into place, restricting any movement. My head was cut open, my skull exposed, and a portion removed, revealing my brain within. It was at this point my role was vital – I provided the surgeons with valuable feedback as they stimulated various places around my tumor, and they would gauge my response. Was I coherent? Was I seizing? Could I answer the questions they were asking? Meanwhile, I was trying to piece together as much as I could from the chatter in the room over the deafening roar of the tools in my head. 

The surgery was successful. The surgeons removed as much of the tumor as they could within acceptable levels of risk to my long-term health. I had limited speech following the operation, close to no control over the right side of my body, and 50 staples across my head that I embrace as a daily reminder of this journey – but I was alive; I had made it. I remained in the hospital for a few nights, then was allowed to go back home, where my journey would enter the next phase.

Rehabilitation

The following weeks and months were the toughest of my journey. I have always been a determined person who embraced the all-or-nothing mentality, so being unable to get out of bed or talk was frustrating. Working with various rehabilitation specialists, I regained some of my verbal, physical, and mental abilities. I had to learn to do basic chores again, like bathing, cooking, and shaving. Oddly, what bothered me the most was not knowing if I’d ever be able to flip a pan again. Finally, I received the results from the initial biopsy, and I had a name: Astrocytoma—brain cancer, incurable, but most importantly, treatable.

I knew then I wanted to take full advantage of my life and inspire others to live their best lives. I dedicated myself to getting stronger. The first goal was a walk to the end of the street and then around the block. I kept getting stronger every day, and my mental abilities also continued to improve. Before I knew it, I was walking 10 km at a time. Then, I started working out and using the treadmill. Before I knew it, I signed up for a half-IRONMAN in December 2021. Mentally, I struggle. My memory isn’t what it was. I get easily overstimulated, and my speech breaks down as a result, but I have coping strategies. Physically, I was in the best shape of my life.

That’s the way forward - figure out what works for you and do your best.

Treatment Options

With my physical strength back, it was time to discuss further treatment options. We decided to delay radiation and chemotherapy to wait for a clinical trial, which commenced in early 2022. In the meantime, MRIs every 3 months monitor my tumor; if any growth is detected, we’ll simply reassess.

More Than My Story

After my surgery, I was lucky enough to reconnect with an old romantic interest, and together, we set out on this journey. I knew I wanted to give back, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like. We kept returning to this idea, and finally, it took shape. I wanted to share my story, not just my story, but our stories.

More Than Our Story

Thus began More Than Our Story—a company devoted to educating and promoting a healthy lifestyle. With articles focused on health, fitness, recipes, and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, it was a way to start giving back and sharing. The cornerstone of this endeavor is undoubtedly the profiles – inspirational stories of everyday heroes. Not just those who have overcome insurmountable obstacles or struggle with terrible diseases, I highlight people whose stories inspire us all. Knowing our stories are not unique makes us stronger and makes all the difference. The final part of our mission is giving back. More Than Our Story donates an amount from each purchase made in our online shop to a currently featured cause of your choice.

None of us are alone, heroes us all.

Our Causes

We give back because it’s our responsibility to care for each other. When you purchase something on our website, we donate a set amount from each item purchased towards the currently featured causes of your choice.

We always maintain our three core causes: physical health, mental health, and the environment.