Kelsey Raasch knew something was terribly wrong. Her mother, Tonya, was coughing up blood, struggling to eat and feeling run down. The initial diagnosis was pneumonia, but more than two months later, Tonya felt worse.
“I took her to the ER at St. Elizabeth’s in Appleton,” says Kelsey, a Lakeland College senior from Clintonville, Wis., majoring in biology. “It took them only 20 minutes to discover that my mom had Stage Four lung cancer.”
Tonya battled through more than a dozen radiation treatments and had just begun chemotherapy when, one day in 2014, she suffered through a 10-minute seizure. Kelsey called 911 and Tonya was rushed to the emergency room.
“From there she was put into hospice care,” Kelsey recalls. “My whole family slept at the hospital for three days, saying our goodbyes. On Oct. 17, 2014, she passed away.”
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On April 3, from 3-9 p.m., Lakeland College will host an American Cancer Society Relay for Life event on campus. Kelsey, backed by the Inter Greek Council (IGC), is the primary organizer and host of this event. Clearly, Kelsey brings an intense emotional investment to this community service initiative.
“When I heard about the opportunity to organize a Relay for Life event at Lakeland, I got this feeling that this was meant for me,” Kelsey says. “I’m really excited. I'm trying to make this an annual event, so I really want this first year to be a great kick off.”
Kelsey encourages Lakeland faculty, staff and students to form teams, raise money for the American Cancer Society and attend the Sunday evening event. She’d also like people from the great Sheboygan community to participate. Each team should have at least one member walking, jogging or running around the Lakeland football field – or Wehr Center if weather doesn’t cooperate – throughout the event. Special events will include testimonials, a balloon release for survivors and the event’s signature, emotional luminaria ceremony.
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Prior to her mom’s diagnosis, Kelsey was planning to leave Lakeland after two years and earn her nursing degree from Columbia St. Mary’s.
“I came back to Lakeland because I knew my mom wanted me to complete my education, and she always really seemed to like Lakeland College,” Kelsey said.
Kelsey’s career goals have changed. Now she’d like to someday be a heart surgeon.
Leading up to and on the day of April 3, she’ll put her heart into an event that means so much to her.
“I’m excited,” she says. “I think it will be very rewarding to see people come together and bond over something that affects all of us.”