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Local man loses fight with brain cancer
| Saturday, Mar 8 2008 5:46 PM
Last Updated: Saturday, Mar 8 2008 5:46 PM
It was always a longshot for Shane Champlain to beat the odds and survive glioblastoma — one of the most lethal forms of brain cancer.
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Shane Champlain races his son, Ethen, to first base during a tee-ball game. Shane played linebacker in his high school football team and is proud of his sonęs interest in sports and his ability at such a young age. Members of his church, including the children, know about Shane's illness and help support the families spiritual, emotional and financial needs. He and his family, wife Shandahn and children Ethen, 5, and Emilee, 10 months, are dealing with the financial and emotional burden.
Shane and Shandahn Champlain, along with their children Ethen, 5, and Emilee, 10 months, attend a service at First Pentecostal Church where they are members. Their church has been a great source of support during this difficult time.
After receiving the news that he will need a third surgery to treat his brain tumor Shane Champlain sits with his father, Doyle Champlain, while Shandahn, Shane's wife, checks to see how much they will have to pay for the doctor visit. The financial burden has been devastating to the young family.
After a 5 a.m. start from Bakersfield, Shane Champlain has an appointment with Dr. Timothy Cloughesy at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center to discuss the MRI results of his brain. The tumor in his head has grown. Some of his options are a third surgery and experiment therapy that has been helpful to other patients. His wife Shandahn and parents Doyle and Robyn Champlain are with him to go through this difficult time.
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He died Friday at the age of 29, but friends say he didn’t lose the fight. He remained the same upbeat, friendly, loving person until his death.
“He kind of accepted it towards the end, but I don’t think he ever gave up,” said friend Jay Mercer. “He just accepted it.”
Surviving Champlain are his wife, Shandahn, and two young children, Ethen, 6, and Emilee, 15 months. Champlain was a great father who didn’t let his illness affect how he spent time with his children, friends and family said.
“He was the best father a child could hope for,” Shandahn Champlain said.
And he was a loving, wonderful husband, she added. He was her best friend.
Champlain was diagnosed with glioblastoma in fall 2006 after a motorcycle trip to Monterey. He had developed chronic headaches and was shocked to find out the cause of those headaches was expected to kill him within two years.
Shane Champlain was a plumber and hadn’t received insurance from his new employer. Instead, he had to rely on Medi-Cal and it was a nightmare trying to make ends meet.
Mercer said Shane Champlain didn’t let the situation get him down.
“If that happened to me I’d like to be able to say I handled it the same way he did,” Mercer said.
Laren Kaufman, Shane’s uncle-in-law, said he and Shane shared a special bond and Shane would approach him almost like a mentor. In some ways, just the opposite was true, as Shane’s unwavering faith and will to live inspired Kaufman.
“He understood to come to me and I wouldn’t sugarcoat it,” Kaufman said.
Darrin Williams doesn’t have a brother, but Shane Champlain filled that role just fine when Darrin met him about a dozen years ago. Since then they’ve golfed, traveled, fished and became best friends.
“He was there for me at all times,” Williams said.
Mercer said he’s comforted by his belief that Shane Champlain is in a better place now and that he’ll eventually see him again.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at First Pentecostal Church at 1418 W. Columbus St. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday at the church.