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“H
e was really fun to talk to because he would listen and keep the conversation going. I was always learning so many new things.”
in an instant. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Through his cancer journey, Bruce was sent to Omaha, where he underwent a series of scans and tests, all without the in-person
This statement comes from nine year old Emma Grace Jensen, who
support of his family because they weren’t allowed in the hospital
gave her Grandpa permission to go on to heaven in April of this year.
due to Covid. Even though the family knew this was protocol for
In August of 2020, while most of us were busy evading Covid-19, the Jensen family had an entirely different challenge on their hands. In late August, Bruce Jensen’s family knew something wasn’t quite right. His daughterin-law DeeAnn had stopped by to visit and noticed how yellow
hospitals across the nation, it didn’t make it any easier. Bruce’s wife, Carla, who had become a staple at Great Plains Health, volunteering as a greeter for the previous four years, had gotten sent home in March indefinitely because the risk of Covid was unknown and feared to be too high for our volunteer staff.
his skin was. The family was used to keeping an eye on
For treatment and care, though,
him as earlier in the year
Bruce
was
able
he had been losing weight
back
home.
He
without explanation until he
two
different
was diagnosed with diabetes. However, on this day, DeeAnn, a nurse by trade, knew that something wasn’t right. She immediately called her brotherin-law, Dr. Todd Jensen, who urged his dad to get into the emergency room right away. It was at this time that everything changed. Unfortunately, Bruce received those words that can change your life
to
come
underwent
chemotherapy
treatments, all to no avail. The cancer was too aggressive and not responding to the chemotherapy. After some time, Bruce decided this was not how he wanted his life to end. He knew that he wanted to spend his last days of feeling good with his whole family, especially the grandkids. In March, the entire family, including his kids and grandkids, embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney World to celebrate life.