To this dean of libraries, “stories matter”

Diane Dallis-Comentale knows the importance of a good story. As the interim dean of Indiana University libraries, she’s surrounded by them. And she’s got a pretty harrowing tale of her own. Luckily, her story has a happy ending; an ending that inspired her to make a gift to IU Health Foundation in support of neurological care.

A little over a decade ago, physicians found a small growth on Diane’s brain. But because the tumor was slow-growing, treatment was not needed.

Her doctors advised her to monitor the tumor’s progression through annual MRIs. Each visit would end the same way: no changes. But in November 2020, something did change that caused concern for her primary care physician.

Diane was diagnosed with stage three brain cancer. She was immediately referred to the IU Health Neuroscience Center for care.

In January 2021, the tumor was removed, and Diane followed up with a regimen of radiation and chemotherapy.

“They did an incredible job,” she says. “After the surgery, there was almost nothing they could see in the scans.” Today, she is grateful that the care she received at IU Health allows her to live a life that, on the outside, appears very normal. And now, she wants to share that gift with others.

“What I would love most,” she says, “is to help raise awareness of brain disorders, brain cancer, brain diseases, and help people get the right care. Because I'm one of those people.”

Her recurring gift to IU Health Foundation, which supports neurological care and the Racial Equity in Healthcare Fund, will do just that.

“The experiences I have had at IU Health are why I want to share my story,” reflects Diane. “Stories matter. They matter to the people who give and receive, and I want people to know how others succeed because of their generosity and their philanthropy.”

To support neurological care or the Racial Equity in Healthcare Fund, please contact IU Health Foundation Senior Development Officer Eric Statler at 317.962.4537.