Woodin Serves Board Through Dire Diagnosis

School Board President Dan Woodin's cancer treatment options have been exhausted, but that won't stop the longest standing school board member from attending the school board meeting Monday, the Ames Tribune reports.

“Even as Ames school board president Dan Woodin’s yearlong battle with cancer takes a turn for the worse, he continues to serve as an inspiration to friends, family and the hundreds following his journey online,” the Tribune writes.

Woodin, who has been battling lymphoma since the summer of 2012, learned recently that the cancer has spread throughout his body. But he still intends on taking a seat at the board table at next week's meeting, the Tribune reports.

“The PET scan Dan had a week ago showed the cancer has spread pretty much everywhere and there is nothing left to do medically, but keep him comfortable,” Woodin's wife Jackie posted on Woodin Will Win, a facebook page detailing his ongoing fight with cancer.

But Jackie told the Tribune that “He certainly has never given up, and he still hasn’t.”

Dan Woodin said he doesn't believe in bucket lists, because he has lived every day. His only regret is that he won't be able to continue helping children as a member of the school board.

“He really wanted to start stressing on the education and wanted to make sure we were doing everything,” after making strides in improving facilities, Jackie Woodin told the Tribune.

Monday's board meeting has a full agenda that includes a reception for outgoing board member David Putz, the formation of a teaching and learning committee and the approval of schematic plans for renovations to Mitchell Elementary School.