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ECHO JOURNAL | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS |
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Breast Cancer AWA R E N E S S
RAE’S HOPE Cancer survivor raises hopes at Timber Bay Camp By Theresa Bourke Brainerd Dispatch Onamia ovely, Praiseworthy and Noble are the intentions behind Rae’s Hope at Timber Bay Camp, just as the Bible verse states. Philippians 4:8 reads: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” Rachael Hanson certainly thinks about such things, especially when using her pack of miniature animals to identify with kids at the Onamia camp where she works and instills in them a sense of hope and belonging. “Every animal here has a story that just helps (kids) with their trauma or whatever they’re dealing with indirectly,” she said Thursday, Oct. 13, while sitting outside among the autumn foliage at Timber Bay Camp. Noble the miniature horse came to Hanson after bouncing among several different homes because he was deemed “crazy and wild.” He speaks to kids who have been through foster care or the adoption process. Praiseworthy the miniature donkey, along with miniature horse Lovely, came from a farm where they were threatened with violence by the owner’s significant other. “They all have injuries; they all have stories that actually relate to kids,” Hanson said. And so does she. Sixteen years ago, at age 32, Hanson was diagnosed with Stage 3B breast cancer. She still remembers getting the call from an on-call doctor at 6:30 p.m. one night that confirmed her suspicions. “I remember sliding down my refrigerator that I had, and I dropped the phone, and I just kind of cried for a moment,” she said. Even though she felt cancer was the inevitable cause of her persisting illness previously diagnosed as walking pneumonia and bronchitis, hearing the words was a blow. “The reality of being sick, you know, was here,” she said. Her dad dropped his phone in a mop bucket when she broke the news to her parents later that night. They came over to be with their daughter, but not before Hanson set ground rules. “I said everyone can cry for 15 minutes,” she said. “I said, but then we can’t. Then we have to laugh. We’ve got to be normal.” More than anything, she wanted a sense of normalcy before the
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whirlwind she knew was yet to come. Hanson eventually underwent chemotherapy, radiation, a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy. Her life had suddenly become a never-ending string of doctor visits. “I had told my husband one night, I said, ‘You know, I just really feel like I’m running in circles, and I just need to find a spot to stop and rest,’” she said. It was at that time Hanson, a longtime horse lover, equated her journey to a horse in a circular pen. “As they’re doing liberty circles, they normally tend, at first, to look on the outside of the fence,” she said. “So it’d be no different from me looking on the outside of the world, searching there. But if you’re the trainer in the middle, you just want your horse to stop running and to look at you and to rest.” That realization compelled Hanson to write her first program to be used later in her ministry work with kids at Timber Bay Camp in Onamia, where she serves as the camp manager. “In the beginning I thought maybe that I would do my own nonprofit and call it Rae’s Hope and work with cancer people, but my heart just bleeds Timber Bay and the youth that we work with,” she said. Timber Bay is a collection of community groups focused on youths in the Upper Midwest, with locations throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. The camp portion of the organization serves teens from varying backgrounds who are struggling in life. They could have a lack of parental involvement in their lives, experience bullying or a vast array of other trials. Staff at Timber Bay help the kids through their struggles. And while it might not be the nonprofit she originally envisioned, Rae’s Hope is Hanson’s personal ministry at the camp, where she and her quirky animals serve as quiet confidants, insightful lessons and fierce friends for the campers. Hanson got her first horse, a Morgan named Jante, when she was 11. During a time in life when she struggled with personal connection, Jante became her close friend. Hanson furthered her relationship with horses through 4-H as a kid, which drove her to a summer job as an assistant horse wrangler at Timber Bay when she was 19. While her job title at the camp has changed over the years, her devotion to the kids hasn’t, especially after dealing with the devastation of a hysterectomy in her early
30s as a result of her breast cancer. “I really wanted to be a mom, like how my mom was to me and my grandma - both of my grandmas,” Hanson said as she fought back tears. But her cancer was estrogen positive, meaning the cancer cells used her body’s estrogen to grow. So Hanson had to weigh her dream of becoming a mom with the possibility of leaving her husband with a child to raise on his own. “I didn’t want to make a selfish choice for me,” she said, noting her experience working with kids who don’t have both parents in their lives because of poor decisions. Her decision to have a hysterectomy meant she would never be a biological mother, but she still has hundreds of kids, and she gets to impact their lives in a meaningful way every day through her camp ministry. “And I don’t have to pay their college bills,” she joked. Hanson’s cancer journey allows her to be a sounding board and much-needed resource for campers affected with cancer in their own families. “When they find out I have it, they’ll say, like, ‘How can I help my grandma?’ ‘How can I help my grandpa?’ Or, ‘What should I not say?’” she said. “Or they’ll say, ‘My grandma’s having a breast removed. What does that mean?’ And then I get to share that with them, or then I hope that I bring them hope because I’m still here.” In a similar vein, the animals Hanson cares for at camp show kids they can overcome other obstacles like injury, neglect and even abuse. Her 17-year-old Apaaloosa horse, Hansel, has a scar on his back left leg from being abandoned in a creek as a baby with barbed wire wrapped around his leg when he became the object of a monetary dispute. He was set to be euthanized by the time he came to Hanson. Hansel’s story becomes a metaphor for kids who feel abandoned when their parents constantly fight or if their parents are going through a tough divorce. “But the biggest question they ask is how Hansel can love again and trust again because he bears that scar,” Hanson said. “And so I always tell the kids - or anybody who meets him - it’s because you trust him and he knows that.” Now starting to go blind, Hansel is full of new lessons about walking by faith and not by sight. Fellow horses Charlie, Poppy and Leroy all come with their own stories and lessons, as do goats Joy and Esther, sheep Poodle and miniature Highland/Hereford cow Gideon. Tabby cat Pharaoh embodies the Good Samaritan Bible story for kids, after being
Rachael Hanson, joined by horse Leroy, talks Oct. 13 about how she uses her animals at Timber Bay Camp to teach her teen campers. Steve Kohls / Brainerd Dispatch
hit and left for dead on Highway 169. While at the Garrison Animal Hospital, he was joined by injured cat Taffy to help his rehabilitation. Both felines ended up with Hanson and now freely roam the camp, gently nuzzling up against visitors. The animals have found their home at Rae’s Hope, among Hanson’s sensory garden with plants and other items carefully chosen by campers; among the peaceful woods surrounding the camp; among friends who judge them not for their pasts but celebrate them for their journeys.
And so have Hanson and the many, many children she has mentored over the years. “Helping kids makes me me,” she said. And so does sharing her cancer journey, which has taught her how best to communicate with those she meets, no matter what they’re going through. “You might want to have the most encouraging thing to say to them … things like, ‘You know, you’re a survivor’ because they always say you are after you’ve been told, it’s the next day,” she said. “But words might say that, but inside you don’t
feel that way,” Hanson said. “And I think that goes with anything, even beyond cancer - whether it’s trauma or alcoholism or anything. And, like, you want to be hopeful for them, and I think the biggest thing is allowing that person to - treat them normal and to let them talk to you.” Anyone interested in donating to Hanson’s ministry, Rae’s Hope, can do so at bit. ly/3MJM5en. Theresa Bourke, Brainerd Dispatch staff writer, may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch. com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ DispatchTheresa.
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BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2022 | ECHO JOURNAL
PINEANDLAKES.COM
Breast Cancer AWA R E N E S S
Young Brainerd mother grapples with breast cancer By Peggy Stebbins Crosby assie Stenson, 33, of Brainerd, was breastfeeding her second child, then 19 months old, when she noticed changes in her breast. Her first thought was that it was a side effect of pregnancy and nursing. But when she felt a lump, she decided to get it checked out, just in case. She went to see Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Donna Claypool at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby who promptly scheduled an ultrasound. Upon receiving the results, she asked Stenson to come back for a mammogram right away the same day. “I thought that definitely was not good, and when the technician seemed very concerned and I was told I needed biopsy, I started to worry,” Stenson said. On Aug. 2, Stenson was told four words she thought she would never hear: You have breast cancer. Being a single parent with two young children to care for, she was shocked, and their lives were upended. Then a whirlwind began more testing, lab draws, PET
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scans, MRIs and visits with CRMC oncologist Dr. Basem Goueli. Because Stenson was so young, Goueli said he would go above and beyond to do everything he could to save her and ordered numerous medical imaging and laboratory tests to determine what treatment would be best. To put her at ease, the oncologist also ordered genetic testing from which she learned there was no mutation of the cancer, so she does not think her daughter is at risk. On Sept. 7, Stenson underwent a double mastectomy. After recovering from the surgery, in midOctober she began the first of eight hours-long infusions of chemotherapy medications. Cancer did not run in her family, so it was not in her head. It was something, she said, she just did not think about, and she was completely blindsided. Developing breast cancer at an early age seems rare but since her diagnosis, Stenson has learned it is more common than expected. She finds support through tons of women under 40 who share their experiences in a Facebook community.
Adding to the stress, shortly after her surgery her Contributed rambunctious 2-year-old Cassie Stenson, Brainerd, is shown with her daughter, Ruby, and son, Luka, broke his foot son, Luka, in 2022. and needed to be carried. Because she could not lift she would continue receiving Stenson said she recently him, he needed to stay with became financially stable and her paycheck and benefits. his father. just last year bought her first “I am blessed with Fortunately, Stenson had a house. She knows a cancer an amazing team of lot of support as she began diagnosis is the second co-workers,” Stenson said. the months of aggressive leading cause of bankruptcy, But now that she has treatment. In addition to so she is preparing ahead of started chemotherapy, her mother helping her time by being as frugal as Stenson may be too ill to navigate the diagnosis, her possible. get back to work and all daughter, Ruby, 13, is being Although Stenson has good her vacation and sick leave a great caretaker and helping insurance, her policy has a benefits have been used. around the house. She is also high deductible and not all “There are so many grateful for her amazing expenses are covered. She unknowns,” she said. co-workers, friends and expects all her savings to be Now Stenson will continue other family, who have been depleted after one medical to undergo chemotherapy so supportive as well as her bill is paid. and then radiation nurses and other patients. A collaborative social treatments for about six Because she has been out of worker at Garfield months. For the next five work since being diagnosed, Elementary School in to 10 years, she will also Stenson applied for CRMC’s Brainerd, Stenson has been have hormone therapy and Courage Cabinet, which out of work since August. expects to experience early provides financial assistance “My job is to worry about menopause. To ensure the to area cancer patients others, and I cannot do that cancer does not return, she undergoing treatment. When when I am so focused on my will also undergo regular she was awarded $1,000, she own self,” she said, adding screenings. put the money into a savings she hopes to feel well enough Stenson will be the account, knowing she is while undergoing treatment featured speaker at going to need it to pay her to be able to return to work Kaleidoscope-A Night Among mortgage and utilities. part time. the Survivors, a fundraiser “It’s my safety blanket,” Stenson’s gotten by for the Courage Cabinet that Stenson said. “I don’t have to financially so far because will take place from 5-7 p.m. stress about being broke after her co-workers showed Thursday, Oct. 27, at the this, I’ll still have a little bit incredible support and Ironton American Legion. donated over a month of of money.” Peggy Stebbins works at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center in Crosby. their own sick time to her so After some lean years,
CRMC event will raise funds for cancer patients IRONTON — Celebrate cancer survivors and raise funds to help others by supporting Kaleidoscope-A Night Among the Survivors, a local cancer patient fundraiser planned for 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Ironton American Legion. All proceeds will benefit Cuyuna Regional Medical Center’s Courage Cabinet, which provides financial assistance to area cancer patients undergoing treatment. The Courage Cabinet is open to
all cancer patients in CRMC’s service area. The limit of Courage Cabinet funds is $1,000 per patient annually. The Courage Cabinet helps families with nonmedical needs, such as gas cards/vouchers for travel to treatment, hotel, rent and meals or groceries. Courage Cabinet funds can also be used to pay for any
medical bills, drugs and noncovered medical equipment, supplies and dressings. Because the number of those diagnosed with cancer in the area has increased substantially, many patients undergoing treatment need support. Planned at the event are an in-person and online auction of items
donated by area businesses and CRMC staff; view and bid at CRMC2022.givesmart. com. There will also be games, raffles, appetizers and beverages. Tickets are $20 in advance at CRMC2022. givesmart.com or $25 at the door. People are also invited to participate in the #cuyunacares social
media awareness cam- the past two years, more paign by celebrating than $74,500 has been survivors in their life, gifted to assist cancer undergoing remembering a loved patients one or sharing their treatment. For information about support of others. To date this year, the sponsorship opportuCourage Cabinet provid- nities or to donate an ed $41,000 in assistance auction item, contact to cancer patients to Charitable Fund Coordihelp meet basic needs, nator Jennifer Podsiadly decrease stress and at Jennifer.Podsiadly@ allow them to focus on cuyunamed.org or 218recovery and healing. In 545-4455.
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