This patient was determined to ger her groove back after colorectal cancer treatment

August 26, 2026

Swedish Cancer Team

[5 min read]

In this article:

In 2019, Dayna Tolman was diagnosed with a golf ball-sized tumor that was growing from her rectum to her uterus.
In addition to 30 rounds of radiation, her treatment involved chemotherapy to shrink the tumor and a major surgery.
Tolman and her family opened TNT Records in Edmonds, a place that brings community together in a shared love of music.
She also shows her gratitude by supporting the Swedish Foundation and the livesaving work that helps patients just like her every day.

One hundred and twenty-one. That’s the number of Providence Swedish caregivers who helped Dayna Tolman after her rectal cancer diagnosis. She knows because she remembers every individual on her care journey, from the lab technicians to the nurses to the receptionists. She reserves special praise for colorectal surgeon Dr. Melinda Hawkins, M.D., and oncologist, Eileen Johnston, M.D., medical director at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute Edmonds.

“Drs. Johnston and Hawkins were incredible,” Tolman recalls of the two physicians primarily managed her care for her at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute Edmonds. “But it took a significant amount of people at Swedish Edmonds to save my life.”

Tolman's journey began in mid-2019, when she started noticing blood in her stools. As a lifelong athlete who’d received college scholarships for softball, volleyball, and track, Dayna had always been active and didn’t think much of it. By December, though, the bleeding had increased from weekly to daily.

She made an appointment with her primary care physician in January 2020 and was referred to Dr. Hawkins.

“As soon as she viewed me, she was concerned,” recalls Tolman. “Dr. Hawkins said, ‘I just want to prepare you that it’s most likely cancerous,’ and I appreciated that candor.”

Imaging revealed that her tumor was the size of a golf ball and had potentially spread from her rectum to her uterus. Dr. Johnston immediately started her on infusion chemotherapy to shrink the tumor. When the chemotherapy made Dayna’s body feel so depleted that she couldn’t even walk, Dr. Johnston discussed ways to reasonably dial back the dosage without compromising her treatment plan.

“When patients give back, it changes the game for us...Philanthropy allows us to invest in projects that improve the quality of life for our patients on treatment. It continues to fund essential services, equipment and programs that allow us to continue delivering exceptional care where patients live.” - Eileen Johnston, M.D., medical director at Providence Swedish Cancer Institute Edmonds.

“What I loved about Dr. Johnston and all of the Swedish Edmonds staff was that they listened,” Tolman says of the collaborative care she received.

Later that year, after 30 rounds of radiation and successful surgery to remove the tumor and her uterus, Tolman asked Dr. Hawkins if she’d consider her for an ileostomy reversal, a procedure that would allow for life without an ostomy bag. Dr. Hawkins researched the procedure and in January 2021, a year after her diagnosis, Tolman received her ileostomy reversal.

“I was so fortunate to have everything right here in Edmonds,” Tolman remembers. “Infusion, Dr. Johnston, Dr. Hawkins, radiation, chemo, everything was within 10 minutes of my house. When you’re super frail, that closeness and familiarity is critical.”

Life today, Dayna says, feels like a rebirth — and she’s taking every opportunity she can to show her gratitude. She and her wife Tammy donate to Providence Swedish Cancer Institute Edmonds every year, most recently making a gift in honor of her five-year cancer anniversary. They plan to continue giving to support the team that cared for Dayna and to ensure other patients can also receive care close to home.

“When patients give back, it changes the game for us,” Dr. Johnston says. “Philanthropy makes clinical trials more accessible to patients in Edmonds. It helped us double the capacity of our infusion center this spring. Philanthropy allows us to invest in projects that improve the quality of life for our patients on treatment. It continues to fund essential services, equipment, and programs that allow us to continue delivering exceptional care where patients live.”

As for Dayna, her gratitude shows up in ways big and small. She, Tammy, and their son Tre recently opened TNT Music, a record store near their home in Edmonds. After spending months renovating, they threw a thank you celebration, where they handed out stickers to contractors, friends, and family that said, “I helped build TNT.”

And when Dayna had her last follow-up appointment with Dr. Johnston in December 2025, she made sure the physician received a sticker too.

“It’s literally true,” Dayna says. “She helped build TNT. This store doesn’t exist if I’m not here with my family, and she helped make sure that it happened.”

Learn more and find a physician or advanced practice clinician (APC)

If you or a loved one have questions about cancer diagnosis, treatment or care, the experts at the Providence Swedish Cancer Institute are here for you. We can accommodate both in-person and virtual visits. To talk to someone or make an appointment, call 1-855-XCANCER.

You can also learn more about available clinical trials. Our physician investigators and researchers are involved in hundreds of ongoing trials involving most types of cancer.

Whether you require an in-person visit or want to consult a doctor virtually, you have options. Swedish Virtual Care connects you face-to-face with a nurse practitioner who can review your symptoms, provide instruction and follow up as needed. If you need to find a doctor, you can use our provider directory.

About the Swedish Foundation

Your generous gift helps support a healthy tomorrow for everyone in every community we serve. Learn about more ways to give to the Swedish Foundation or make a direct donation online at swedishfoundation.org. You can also contact the Foundation at 206-368-2738 or email foundation@swedish.org. Thank you for helping us shape the future of health care. We can’t do it without you.