Community spirit

Courtesy photo Jan Dean is the subject of a benefit show Thursday at Cain’s Ballroom. The former radio DJ is suffering from an inoperable tumor on her brainstem and can’t afford an experimental treatment that she needs to recover.

By MATT ELLIOTT World Staff Writer
4/26/2007 9:35 AM

Bands help raise money for former DJ's medical bills

A host of Tulsa area radio stations and a couple local bands are banding together Thursday to raise money for a Tulsa DJ's experimental cancer treatment.

Jan Dean was diagnosed July 6 with a brain stem glioblastoma. Dean, the nontraditional revenue manager for Clear Channel Radio, arrived at work that morning dizzy and seeing double, said her friend and co-worker, Laurie Stout.

By 3 p.m. that day she was in intensive care at St. John Medical Center with an inoperable brain tumor, Stout said.

"It just changed her life instantly," said Stout of Dean, who is in her late 40s.

The tumor has not responded to chemotherapy and Dean's only hope is an experimental treatment in Houston for which solely the initial fee to see the doctor who performs the treatment is $30,000. Her insurance won't cover the costs of the alternative therapy, Stout said.

"We're kind of to the point where this is what we have left to do. I mean, there's not a lot left that traditional medicine can do for us."

Dean, who is now bed-ridden, worked as a weekend and overnight DJ in 1979 on KWEN, before moving to K107,where she was program director and had a popular program called "Bed Check." She also worked at KSTM, KMYZ and KTSO.

Stout said Dean mentored many young DJs in the area. While she doesn't have any children, she does has a network of friends to help. Dean's best friend, Debbie Dean, has been at her side every day since she was diagnosed.

With a $5 raffle ticket at the benefit, attendees can win items that range from an autographed Chris Daughtry guitar to Nascar tickets and trips. All of the proceeds go to Dean.

Organizers have raised about $11,000 so far, with KHITS raising about $2,700 in a morning auction show last week.

Radio Radio and Band Camp will perform at the benefit. Radio Radio has written a song about Dean, called "Beaming Love," and put it on a CD from which the sales will go to Dean's treatment, Stout said. Also, the bands are donating their performances Thursday and the Rodgers family has donated the Cain's Ballroom for the night.

"The event has turned out so much bigger than anything that we even ever dared to hope for when we first dreamed it up," Stout said.

Donations can be made to the Jan Dean Cancer Fund c/o Merrill Lynch, 6100 S. Yale Ave., Suite 1500, Tulsa, 74136.

For more information contact Stout at 388-5136.

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Matt Elliott 581-8366
matt.elliott@tulsaworld.com