Foundation for KCH

In January 2024, my husband Bob and I embarked on an exciting journey to build our dream home. During this time, we settled into our camper, nestled next to our pole barn on the very land that would soon be our forever home. But on January 21st, everything changed with a phone call that shattered our peace. Bob informed me that our barn was engulfed in flames. While attempting to warm the bathroom pipes, the heater sparked a tragedy; the insulation ignited, and chaos unfolded. Bob was thankfully at the camper, just in time to rescue our dog and call 911. But with propane tanks and tractor fuel fueling the fire, it escalated quickly. By the time I arrived, the sight was devastating—twelve fire trucks were lined up in our driveway, and our beloved barn was reduced to ashes.

Living in a camper really humbles you—it's astounding to realize how much we truly possess, and how fleeting it can all be. Just months before the fire, my mother had passed, and all of her precious belongings had been stored in the barn, alongside my children’s treasured scrapbooks, my husband’s tools, and the trains he collected with our grandson, not to mention materials for our new house.

Seventeen years ago, when the cancer clinic first opened, my husband and I decided to support the Foundation's fundraising campaign aimed at kickstarting the Cancer Center, never imagining that one day, my mother would rely on it for her radiation treatments. Giving has always come naturally to us, while receiving felt foreign. So when one of my supervisors approached me with a check from the Foundation, I was utterly taken aback. I had no idea anyone had taken the initiative to secure funds to assist us in such a dire moment. With a mix of reluctance and gratitude, we accepted the help.

Fast forward to August 2024, our new house was ready, and with the support of family members, we began the process of rebuilding the pole barn we had lost. We are endlessly grateful to belong to a community where compassion thrives. Having worked here for nearly 26 years, it feels less like a job and more like cherished time spent with family. The sense of support is palpable, and my husband and I remind one another daily of the multitude of blessings we've received from God.