April 13, 2006

Hiking for a cure

Health issues don’t stop New Almaden’s Janet Dill from living life to the fullest

She’ll compete in Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fund-raising hike in May

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Winning comes easy to Janet Dill.

The young woman has boxes of awards and ribbons she’s earned at the Special Olympics for her athletic abilities. She’s lectured at Yale. She’s also battled leukemia—not once but twice. Now her mission is to help find a cure for the disease by raising donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Hike for Discovery in May. That the cheerful, energetic 33-year-old was born with Down syndrome is incidental to her story.

Since Janet Dill’s recent move to California, she has been staying with her parents in New Almaden. Left: Rick Dill, Amanda Dill and Janet Dill. Photo by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Janet Dill moved to San Jose last September and said she “loves California.” The young woman is busy training and looking for an apartment while she stays with her parents, Rick and Amanda Dill in New Almaden.

Janet was born and grew up in Mt. Kisco, New York, a suburb an hour away from New York City. Her mother found out she had Down syndrome the day Janet was born.

“They didn’t test back then,” said Amanda Dill remembering that eventful day in 1973. “Rick was out of town when she was born. I was pretty upset and didn’t know what a Down child was. I cried for three days and then got over it and I never cried again. I realize I have a special child.”

Janet’s athletic ability was noticed early.

The youngster would do cartwheels and make stairs out of drawers climbing to reach bananas on the refrigerator for her younger brother Steven. She attended a mainstream high school where she will proudly tell you she was asked to the senior prom as a freshman. The event was even featured on TV’s Dateline with Janet’s winning smile showcased.

Father and daughter share a hike at Quicksilver Park post leukemia. From left: Rick Dill and Janet Dill. Photo courtesy of the Dill Family

“Jan was one of the first generation of kids like her who received an education,” said Rick Dill. “She was the first Down syndrome adult to be accepted into Chapel Haven [a program of individualized support for adults with cognitive disabilities enabling them to live independent and productive lives located in New Haven, Conn.. She did so well that now they accept others like her. One of Jan’s duties in the world is to show people what people like her are like and able to do.”

Janet has participated in the Special Olympics for years—winning a gold medal for all-around gymnast in 1995 at the World Games as well as boxes of first, second and third place awards and ribbons through the years. Sports came easy to her as the family has always hiked, skied and swam together.

She’s lived in her own apartment and sometimes shared with roommates but she prefers living alone.

Janet and her mother spoke at Yale University for 15 consecutive years educating and entertaining students about living with Down syndrome.

Janet Dill skiing at Snowbird in Utah. This was in 2003 when she was in remission from leukemia and a few months before it came back. Photo courtesy of the Dill Family

“She’d make them laugh and I’d make them cry,” said Amanda Dill.

In 2000, Dill was stricken with leukemia and underwent chemotherapy. She went into remission in 2002 and was able to be a bridesmaid in her brother’s wedding. Soon the leukemia returned, which brought another round of chemotherapy. Fortunately, her older brother Kevin was a bone marrow match and Janet had a bone marrow transplant, which saved her life.

“It was an awful year,” said Dill. “My mother and I called it MME—the most miserable experience—but now I’m fine!”

But even while Dill was in the hospital for weeks, she managed to be cheerful and always smiling. She’d write on the menu “no coffee” and in large letters “I WANT POPCORN,” charming everyone from the custodial staff to the nurses. Today she is leukemia-free and wants to help find a cure for the dreaded diseases that affects over 712,000 Americans.

Since Dill moved to San Jose, she attends the Hope Program, which provides day programs and work. Housing Choices is assisting in locating Dill an apartment to live in which will include planned visits from Independent Life Skills staff for three hours a week.

“The system out here [California] is more organized and is paid for by the state,” said Amanda. “It is wise on their part because they don’t want these kids in group homes because it is more expensive.”

Her mother and father are members of the local parent support organization Parents Helping Parents.

At age 8, Janet Dill competed in her first Special Olympics. Photo courtesy of the Dill Family

As for Janet, she even has a special friend’s yahoo group. The six members—all with Down syndrome— recently had their first face-to-face get together.

Now Janet is setting her sights on training for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Hike For Discovery and can be found running on the treadmill over an hour a day as she watches her favorite DVDs.

Several times a week, her father who is also her coach, hikes and jogs Quicksilver Park or Skyline with Janet to train more vigorously for the May fund-raiser. The event will be held at the Grand Canyon and Dill has committed to raise over $3,500.

It should come as no surprise that with Janet’s charm and enthusiasm she has surpassed that amount already, with an impressive $5,335 raised so far because Janet has always been a winner.

To support Janet Dill’s participation in the Hike for Discovery visit www.active.com/donate/HFDSVMB/jandill or send a check made out to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to Janet Dill, P.O. Box 11, New Almaden, Ca. 95042.