Vail Valley Charitable Fund: Bump in the road

In 1992, like many dedicated restaurant locals, my husband Charles Hays moved to Vail to ski and cook at the Lodge at Vail. This adventure turned into a trusted community 32 years later when he partnered to open Vin48 as executive chef and part-owner.

In addition to Vin48, Charles helped build the EagleVail Community Garden while supporting as many local resources as possible to create remarkable dishes as a chef. Life happens and our family has grown into new chapters. From Vin48, Charles transitioned to private chef to be more present as a husband and father. Together, we have raised four beautiful children: Haley, our wild child, is 21; Savara is 19; and Mia and Dante, who are both 16 years old.

In August 2024, a headache began changing our lives forever. Charles never complains, but in February 2025, I began to worry. His decline in health, speech and ability to function quickly became apparent.

After one month in and out of Colorado Mountain Medical, Vail Health and The Steadman Clinic, the concern of a chef’s life-related problems turned out to be a much more serious complication. It took one week in a Denver ICU for a tumor to be found that no local neurologist knew how to treat.

Charles was discharged with no answers, no solution or plan of action. Thankfully, Brooke Norde at The Steadman Clinic was dedicated to helping my husband get help. Feeling lost and scared of losing my life partner, we flew to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

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Chordoma what!?! A rare brain and spine tumor that affects one in a million people a year was consuming Charles. Symptoms include loss of speech, swallowing, fainting and severe headaches. Chordoma is part of a group of malignant bone and soft tissue tumors called sarcomas. Chordomas account for about 3% of all bone tumors and about 20% of primary spinal tumors. A chordoma tumor usually grows slowly, often without symptoms at first, and then might cause symptoms for years before doctors find it.

Chordomas are complicated tumors to treat due to the involvement of critical structures such as the brainstem, spinal cord, and important nerves and arteries. They can also come back, or recur, after treatment — usually in the same place as the first tumor.

The Mayo is magic. Upon arrival, the team that couldn’t help found the proper surgeons who could. This took three surgeons and multiple invasive surgeries to complete — some with all surgeons working together at once. First, they fused Charles’s skull to his spine (C1- C3) to prevent paralysis from the tumor removal. A neurosurgeon then went in with an ENT to attempt to remove the tumor through his nose. This surgery was not as successful as hoped, so the fusion was removed and new bone was placed. The tumor that remained could be removed through his spine and brain with another spinal fusion, followed by eight weeks of radiation.

Not working so I could support my husband and living in a hospital with children at home felt overwhelming. Amy Lewis, a family friend, connected me to Brooke Skjonsby at the Vail Valley Charitable Fund. Brooke took the time to help me come up with a plan to get support for the basic needs of caring for my family at home while caring for Charles at the Mayo. This was a delicate situation for which we cannot thank our community and friends enough for stepping in with care and compassion that will never be forgotten.

Five months, three surgeries, and 37 proton radiation treatments later at the Mayo, Charles emerged cancer-free.

What felt like a nightmare turned into a beautiful story of hope. Thank you to everyone (the list is long) for stepping in and helping my family. This nightmare has been more than just a bump in the road. Without all the local support, we could not be on the road to recovery.

Our children were forced to grow up quickly, but not without the help of our fabulous community. This life is an amazing adventure. Being diagnosed with cancer and overcoming cancer is an overwhelming challenge for those who face it. Looking at cancer with a positive attitude is truly the only way to approach the challenge. Healing means never losing hope and always believing and visualizing what the future can hold.

Thank you to the Vail Valley Charitable Fund, Audrey, Hayden Burn AKA the Manny, Malory Mendoza, Michelle Von Daggenhausen, Tracey Van Curan, Garth and Jill, Tad, Dr. Twiss, Dr. Corcoran and Jean, and all of our dear and near friends. Keri Kuhl, Kari and Eric Newby, you are saints — thank you for keeping me sane through this journey.

Life is beautiful, and with you, the saying will go on: It takes a village to raise a family. In our community, the support, guidance and positive influence of a wider network of people beyond our immediate family is special. The interaction with Vail Valley Charitable Fund brings expertise in interacting with and learning from diverse individuals, each bringing their unique perspective and experiences to help those in need. The Eagle Valley is extraordinary and our message to others is never lose hope! You are not alone.

Charles, Ashley, Haley, Savara, Mia and Dante Hays are grant recipients of the Vail Valley Charitable Fund. Find out more about the mission at VVCF.org.