By Dan Joyce
This morning I got the news I was hoping for — the lump in my neck isn’t cancer. It’s a fluid-filled cyst, not a solid tumor. That means one thing: I still have time. Time to chase my dream. Time to put all my creative energy into something bigger. Time to give life everything I’ve got.
They’ll still do a biopsy just to be sure, but for now, I’m in the clear — and that’s a green light I’m not wasting.
After everything I’ve been through — the diagnoses, the hospitalizations, the streets, the stigma, the slow climb back up — I’m still standing. And more than that, I’m moving forward. My next stop? Disney Imagineering.
Yes, I said it. I’m going for my Disney Dream Job.
I’ve already started applying. I’ve got a resume, a cover letter, and a PDF portfolio full of original art. My website is live, and I’m polishing it up with every passing day. I’ve spent my life drawing from the margins — from bars, park benches, and psych wards — but I’ve also drawn from my imagination, from the childlike wonder that Disney champions.
And now I want to bring that magic full circle.
There’s still real life to deal with — like court tomorrow. A violation of a restraining order from a family who doesn’t understand me. It’s a case that should be resolved through mental health diversion. I’ll say it here because it matters: Restraining orders are often just another “tough love” tactic — an approach that treats people like problems, not people in pain.
But this post isn’t about that. This is about the light breaking through the clouds. This is about chasing a dream that never left my side, even when I was down. This is about art, hope, and the kind of second chance that only comes when you survive the storm.
I’m not giving up. Not now. Not ever.
With a clean bill of health, a powerful story, and a portfolio to back it up — I’m all in.
Let’s make this dream come true.
Disney, here I come.
— Dan Joyce
Artist. Survivor. Dreamer.
www.danjoyceart.com
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