“Family” is key word at HMS Elementary Cancer Awareness Event
A member of the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Elementary extended family was in the spotlight as the school held its annual Cancer Awareness Event on October 25 with an assembly in the old high school gym.
Margarett Travaille is a 2 year old who was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer which has spread to her lungs and is at Stage 4. She is a cousin of Allie Schimmer, a teacher at HMS.
Margarett and her family were present and received a rousing welcome from the students and adults who were assembled. Chad and Megan were invited to bring their daughter down to the gym floor. Speaking to the three, event organizer Janet Prins said, “Allie, Mrs. Schimmer, is a part of our HMS family and you are part of Allie’s family. That makes you part of our family. You have over 300 people sitting here who are in your corner, standing around the ring while Margarett’s inside fighting. We are cheering her on to get through this.”
The adults in the assembly then came down to form a circle around Chad, Megan and Margarett and join hands. “You have some of the best prayer warriors standing around you now,” said Prins. “The love that our family has is blanketing you right now and it’s going to blanket you throughout your journey. The only thing we wish is every good thing for Margarett. We’re praying big for Margarett, for her family and for her team of doctors that are going to work with her to get her better. Always know that you’re not in the fight alone.”
Elementary students joined the staff in bringing in money to help fill the fish tank. This year a total of $2,244 was raised for Margarett and her family. “You never disappoint me when it comes to the fish tank,” said Prins in praising the students. “Every year we do this, watching you come in on a Friday morning and dump your change in and you tell me, ‘I got this from my piggy bank” and this was the money that you had and you’re bringing it for somebody else. That is so cool!”
Prins shared some cancer statistics with the students. Over 2 million new cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year. In Iowa almost 21,000 new cases are expected. In 2024 an estimated 9,620 children between the ages of 0 and 14 and 5,290 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 will be diagnosed this year. An estimated 611,000 deaths will occur in the U.S. due to cancer.
“The one thing that’s a positive about the statistics,” said Prins, “is that the death rate on cancer is going down. It’s fewer and fewer every year. That’s because of medicine, great doctors and a lot of faith, I do believe.” She noted that the four most common types of cancer for adults are breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer. In children it’s leukemia, lymphoma and brain cancer.
HMS teacher Amy Arrick, a cancer survivor, came forward to give a reading. It was entitled “What Cancer Cannot Do” and was given to her by a friend after Arrick was diagnosed. Following the reading, Prins remarked, “Everybody thinks cancer is a bad word and it divides people. And I truly believe, when you hear cancer, it brings everybody together. Everybody that’s in here, is in here for Margarett.”
Representing the caring spirit shown by the student body toward those battling cancer, Hayden Vander Berg came down to have her hair cut. “Hayden and her family stopped me after last year’s Cancer Event and said, ‘Hayden wants to cut her hair for Locks of Love,’” shared Prins. Locks of Love is an organization which turns donated hair into wigs for cancer patients who have lost their own hair through the process of treating their cancer. Hayden has always worn her hair long. She had her several loose braids cut by her grandma, Lisa Huff, who then gave her a loving hug. “Way to go, Hayden,” exclaimed Prins. “We are so proud of you and we thank you for doing that.”
Once again, the Cancer Awareness Event concluded with the release of balloons in front of the Elementary Building. The balloons represent people who have cancer, people who have had cancer, and people who lost their lives to cancer. The balloon launch was done in three stages. The first release was by Margarett’s family, the second involved staff members who have been affected by cancer and the third was the release by the students to acknowledge the rest of the cancer wars.