Page 20 | August 13, 2011
KLIMA continued from page 17
Four years, one superintendent and two curriculum directors later, District 719 opened the doors to SAGE Academy, a third-through-fifth-grade school housed at WestWood Elementary and dedicated to advancing gifted education. At that moment, she felt “very happy” and “hopeful,” not only for her children, but for their classmates. Klima has been a member of Prior Lake’s Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented local chapter, served on committees for advanced programming in the middle schools and volunteered for countless events and fundraisers, including two trips to the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center as a chaperone. “I don’t know how she did everything she did,” Righeimer said. “She was always going from one meeting to the next.” Righeimer became friends with Klima through her other grand contribution to the district: the Prior Lake-Savage Area Educational Foundation. A 13-person steering committee, including Klima, formed in 2005 to create the organization, which raises money to support district programs, activities and initiatives. Righeimer had read about the committee in the newspaper and wanted to put her years of nonprofit experience to use. She called Prior Lake High School with one foreshadowing request: “Can someone connect me to Kari Klima? “I wasn’t sure that I could help, but I really loved the idea that she was one person that could make a difference,” Righeimer says. “She was so welcoming and warm and made me feel such a part of the process.” Since then, the women have served on the foundation’s board together and forged a friendship. Righeimer even introduced her husband Bill to Klima, and the two soon began what Righeimer calls “a mutual admiration society.” “He would do anything for her and she would do anything for him,” she says. That devotion included playing a crucial role in Klima’s latest battle.
DIVINE INTERVENTION Bill Righeimer owns The SMARTE Group, a national sales and marketing company. About four years ago, he needed an
www.plamerican.com | Prior Lake American independent contractor for some part-time work. His wife recommended her friend Klima. “He works with hundreds of people across the country,” Righeimer says. “Someone who’s a strong communicator and a people person. Kari’s just a perfect fit for those needs.” Klima continued working for Bill part-time. One morning in April 2010, she showed up at the Righeimers’ Prior Lake home, ready for work. The only problem? It was 8 a.m. “Usually she would come around 9 or 10 o’clock, after the kids had left for school,” Righeimer recalls clearly. “I said to her, ‘Kari, what are you doing here so early?’ She assured me that it wasn’t too early.” She also remembers Klima shivering, despite the spring weather. Righeimer, who is usually gone by the time Klima arrives for work, sat her friend down for a cup of coffee while Bill got ready. The two ladies gabbed and Klima began sharing stories from her recent family ski trip. She’d fallen on the slopes – a move called a “yard sale” – and hit her head pretty hard. Righeimer watched as Klima ascended the home’s stairs to begin her tasks. “She was doing some e-mails and she was struggling with composition,” Righeimer found out later from Bill. The work was “totally uncharacteristic” of Klima, “such a strong communicator.” Bill pressed Klima, in light of her head injury and behavior she herself described as “kooky,” to go to urgent care and get checked out. “They kept an eye on me,” Klima recalls of the Righeimers. “They watched me.” But Kari, ever the fighter and task master, didn’t want to leave her work undone. She’d leave later, she thought. “She didn’t want to give up,” Righeimer recounts. “She didn’t want to stop working to go … [Bill] said he’d drive her if she didn’t go.” Klima relented and went to an urgent care center in Burnsville for a CT scan. When she came out, Charley had arrived. From there, the couple was in what Klima calls “zoom mode.” They went to Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis for additional tests that afternoon on the advice of a neighbor who’s an ER nurse. “F rom t hen on, Cha rley was in contact with everyone,” Klima remembers.
EDEN PRAIRIE
news
present
“I guess my paternalistic instinct kicked in instantly,” Charley says. K lima underwent a latenight M R I and awoke to a doctor telling her she’d need brain surgery. While she did have a concussion from her skiing tumble, she also had a baseball-sized tumor above her right ear. Needless to say, Klima – the woman who, hours before, had only wanted to complete her work in peace – was blindsided by the news. In the face of her diagnosis, she was still a mother fi rst. “I keep saying over and over again, ‘Thank God it’s me and not one of my kids,’” she says. “That’s been my mantra: ‘Not my kids.’” Klima also managed to fi nd bright spots in her path to a diagnosis. She says that her particular type of cancer – she’s chosen not to publicly reveal the name – can cause seizures. With all the running around and chauffeuring she did, Klima could have easily had a seizure while driving her children somewhere and endangered not only her own health, but theirs and possibly other drivers and passengers. “There were all these miracles that happened,” the irrepressibly positive K lima recalls. Since that April 2010 morning, Klima and her mother have frequently referred to Bill, the man who wouldn’t let Klima do anything but go to urgent care immediately – as her “guardian angel.”
‘I CAN BEAT THIS’ While not going into specifics, Klima knows her prognosis isn’t rosy. “Brain cancer, it’s not good,” she says bluntly. “No brain cancer is good.” Since her diagnosis last year, Klima has been in and out of the hospital. She underwent rounds of chemotherapy and radiation and has had a few recurrences. Just as she was relentless in her fights for education, she refuses to let her spirit wane. “I remain positive all the time,” she says, her weakened voice rising decisively. “I’ve just been grateful … I can battle this. I can beat this.” Her fierce optimism has rubbed off on her family, according to Charley. “Her way of dealing with this has been blasting away with treatment aggressively head first,” he says. “It’s amazing to me how optimistic she’s been
Early-bird Registration through Aug. 20 Register now to be eligible for random prize drawings!
in the face of a disease that by cancer standards isn’t good.” When asked if she’s scared, Klima nodded slowly, her head swollen from treatment. But still, ever the planner, her eyes fi xed on the future. “I want to see my kids graduate, get married and have their babies,” she says, her voice breaking as her face slowly dissolves into tears. “And graduate college, too.” Klima, who used to spend her days bouncing from appointment to commitment to meeting, is now confi ned to a chair. She speaks more softly and deliberately than she used to, but as far as her friends are concerned, she’s still got it. “She hasn’t lost a thing,” Righeimer says about Klima’s mind. “It’s hard to watch her physical body betray her mental. She’s so sharp and strong a personality and she just can’t do it as much anymore. That’s been hard.” T h e d e vo t e d m o m wh o couldn’t pass up an opportunity to spearhead a committee or support a good cause is still around. She talks at length and with great knowledge about the secondary schools’ switch to a six-period school day, and her concern that high school students won’t have the access to important electives they once enjoyed. It’s just that now, Klima says those things from a chair in her living room. “Not a lot has changed,” Righeimer says. “She sti l l voices her opinions. She’s as involved as she can be.” Life in the Klima household, though, is quite different. Charley has taken on a lot of his wife’s responsibilities, in addition to caring for her. “There are a lot of things in our lives that had to go away because we don’t have the time or the energy to do them,” Charley says. “A lot of things just fall away.” Charley used to handle cooking meals for the family, but he pats his stomach when he indicates that friends have been providing plenty of meals. His wife’s illness has left “everyday life turned upside down.” He’s now learning to do things like log in to Skyward, the district’s online system where families can see their students’ grades. “We have a lot of houseplants that died because Kari used to do the watering,” Charley says. Klima’s days are fi lled with doctor’s appointments, writing thank-you cards, taking naps and “waiting for a hug from my kids as they zoom through the room,” she says. The woman people relied on to keep schedules straight now admits she struggles to put events in sequence and remember which appointments are when. The thing she misses most of her healthier days is being able to drive. “For me, it’s feeling like I can only do a fraction of what
Caring about Kari People responded in droves with kind words about Kari Klima. Here’s what people in the Prior Lake-Savage area have to say: Lisa Garborg, head of the Prior Lake chapter of the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented: “I’ve known Kari Klima for nine years. We were introduced by the Synergy specialists who realized we shared the same concern of providing options for rigorous classes. There are many things I love about Kari — one of them being her willingness to speak up and step up. She has never been shy about pointing out what she thought could be done better in the school district; but at the same time, she was willing to help make that happen. I call it the ‘we’ not ‘you’ attitude. Kari and I have served on more committees and fund raisers than I can count and she always took her involvement very seriously. In fact, last year when she unexpectedly found herself in the hospital facing brain surgery, she called me to fill in for her at a middle school curriculum meeting. I remember she talked for 10 minutes about her meeting notes before she got around to telling me why she was in the hospital. Her dedication was inspiring. Dedication not just to making things better for her own children; but for all kids who shared the same need to be challenged. That selflessness is what makes Kari such an amazing person. Mary Viereck, Prior Lake-Savage Area Education Foundation board member: “I first met Kari when a steering committee was put together to form an education foundation. ‘Passionate’ is probably the first word that comes to me – she is always so passionate about the community, all ages. She is one of most involved and tireless volunteers, always going above and beyond. I have so much respect for her!” Martha Hoover, former Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board member and current president of the Prior Lake-Savage Area Education Foundation: “Whether it’s parenting, pushing through a school levy or being on a school committee, she jumps in with both feet, does her research and brings solutions back to the table. She has the ability to gather lots of great information. When she hears ‘no,’ she goes back with a blast of information that shows why things just might be a ‘yes.’… Dedicated, smart, and in for the long haul, every school district should have at least one Kari. Her tenacity is unmatched.”
I’m capable,” she says. “Who doesn’t want to be able to go to Target and get the three things on their list?” The Klimas go through a lot of orange juice, she notes, and now she can’t make those quick juice runs. “I can make four phone calls and have 12 gallons here in 14 seconds,” she says. “You change your mode of doing these things. The family has caregivers who come to the house, and friends have volunteered in droves to help out in any way they can. People have not only extended kindness to Klima, taking her to her doctor’s appointments, out to lunch and just sitting with her at the house, they’ve also rallied around Charley, Mackenzie, 14, and Skylar, 12. “It’s great to see my friends and be with them because we were all so busy with our kids,” she says. “I knew I had good friends in town, but some of them just go up to another level. It’s amazing.” The evidence of the community’s reverence for the Klimas is evident. When she and Charley went away last weekend to Voyageurs National Park – normally they hike and set up a tent; this year the plans were adjusted so they could spend the trip on friends’ houseboat – the family’s voicemail inbox filled up by the time they returned. Klima sits in the corner of her dining room, in a comfy chair banked by plants and Caribbean lilies, gifts from people who know she loves flowers. She’s received “too many gifts,” so many that she has now directed people to make donations to – what else? – the Prior Lake-Savage Area Education Foundation in lieu of flowers.
Charley, for his part, has done a lot of research on his wife’s illness – so much that he feels he could probably “write a pretty decent book,” he says, smiling – and works hard managing her social schedule. He calls the outpouring of support from both close friends and semi-strangers “staggering.” “At first, as a private person, it was somewhat uncomfortable,” Charley says. “It’s not surprising a lot of people have risen up even though it’s been over a year. We have more help than we can use and that’s wonderful … It makes me damn near cry every time I think about it.” Both of the Klima parents remain committed to making sure things stay as normal as possible for their two kids. Skylar spends a lot of time in his room reading, while Mackenzie goes out with her friends, time Klima acknowledges as necessary respite. Charley has seen a few signs of stress and anxiety in the kids, but overall says they’re handling the situation “extremely well.” As for Charley, Klima says he’s dealt with the whole thing well. “I t hi n k what g ives me strength is the kids,” Charley responds. “That’s my number one thing that keeps me focused.” Righeimer checks in with the Klimas often and tries to visit about once a month, bringing flowers and gluten-free bakery treats for her friend. Though her eyes well with tears when she talks about Klima’s physical fight, her words remain steadfast and sure. “She’s the picture of persistence and perseverance,” Righeimer says. “That’s Kari Klima.”
Register at Active.com Search Boots & Boas 5k Early-bird registration (by Aug. 20) ..................$25 By Sept. 9 (online closes Sept. 3) ..$30 Race Day registration ..$35
Saturday,
Sept. 10, 2011
Purgatory Creek Park, Eden Prairie 9 a.m. start | 10:30 a.m. awards Exhibitors’ booths open 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
S
tomp out domestic violence by participating in the inaugural “Boots & Boas Fun Dash & 5K Run/Walk.” Bring along your favorite boots and don a complimentary boa for the 50-yard fun dash. A portion
Major Sponsor LasikPlus Nutritional Food Sponsors Complete Nutrition Pure Market Express Water Station Sponsor Anytime Fitness Eden Prairie & Chaska
Mayo Clinic’s Radiation Therapy Facility in Northfield, Minnesota is now open.
of proceeds will benefit two local organizations dedicated to ending domestic abuse: Cornerstone and Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women. The 5K Run/Walk takes place on easy, flat terrain that wraps around a scenic wetland.
Take your car search for a spin.
Mayo Clinic’s Cancer Center is the top ranked cancer program in Minnesota by US News & World Report. And now, Mayo Clinic is opening its new Radiation Therapy facility in Northfield. • Conveniently located 30 minutes south of Burnsville and 30 minutes east of New Prague. Here patients benefit from Mayo Clinic’s expertise. We work closely with your physician to develop individualized treatment plans.
214775
No referrals are needed.
powered by 221368
To learn more or schedule an appointment please call us at 507-645-2655.
Mayo Clinic’s Radiation Therapy Facility 1821 North Avenue | Northfield, Minnesota 55057 mayoclinic.org/radiation-therapy