My aunt Coleen is an incredible woman who embodies the gift of empathy and service in every sense of these words. She is a generous soul who has always put others first even when she doesn't have to, and her resilience in the face of hardship is one of my favorite things about her. My EE, as I have called her for as long as I can remember, is a role model and a beacon of hope and happiness not just for me, but for all those around her. 

"An adored sister, beloved auntie, incredible sister-in-law, Coleen is a constant source of calm and joy to relatives and her many good friends. "

• My Mama Bird, Coleen's sister

Coleen's first run-in with cancer was 5 years ago. It was breast cancer, from which she made a fairly quick recovery as the tumor was tiny and was able to be removed with minimal surgery. However, medical professionals recommended that Coleen receive additional radiation treatment as a preventative measure.

What none of us foresaw was that said treatment would be anything but preventative. At the very beginning of this year, Coleen's cancer returned with greater aggression than before, in a strange form that we would learn is called angiosarcoma. Apparently, some preventative radiation treatments can cause cancerous cells to redevelop in the area they had once resided, and in this case, that was Coleen's breast. Doctors informed us repeatedly that Coleen was incredibly lucky to have caught this diagnosis early...but such assurances hold little water when the next professional you see informs you that an angiosarcoma is so rare that quite literally only one out of every million people will ever experience one. 

(Seriously, it's so rare that Google Docs is highlighting it as a typo as I write this because it's not even in their digital dictionary.)

With the doctors in La Crosse unsure of what to do since they had quite literally never seen this type of cancer before, my aunt was referred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, to consult with one of the only specialists in the world. Thus began the grueling treatment, combining months of chemotherapy and radiation to keep the cancer at bay until it would be safe to perform a VERY complex surgery, and that was just the first step.

Difficult would be an understatement when it comes to describing what my aunt endured during this time. Restful nights became a luxury as she would stay up into the early morning hours, plagued by pain so excruciating that she could barely move. With it all came nausea, indigestion, headaches, and unshakable lethargy, brought on as the side effects of medication, and even that wasn't the worst of it. Coleen would also need to be hospitalized due to the horrid radiation burns on her chest and subsequent infection between the layers of skin.

Only after all of that mess had been resolved did the window of opportunity for the surgery open. A double mastectomy with sentinel lymph node removal, which lasted 8 hours. The wait was the most nerve-wracking thing any of us had ever experienced, but the joy we felt when we heard that the cancer had been safely removed was nothing short of euphoric.

Of course, misfortune doesn't rest, and loves to come knocking all over again just when you think the worst of the trouble is over. After Coleen's sutures were removed, she developed a staph infection at the surgical site, and the recovery process for this has included four more surgeries to clean out the infection, delicate reconstructive procedures by a plastic surgeon, and the maintenance of a wound-vac for the past several months.

Luckily, Coleen is finally beginning to regain some strength, and has been given the green-light for the surgery needed to close the gaping wound in her chest, which will hopefully be the last big hurdle we need to vault over!

As a self-supporting widow with 2 jobs, Coleen has been unable to provide for herself since her diagnosis in December. The intensity of the treatment left her incapacitated and unable to enjoy many of the things our family normally do together, such as long vacations or hosting huge dinner parties with friends and family...and hunting for ice-cream shops with her niece. Distraught by being unable to work for an extended period of time, Coleen invites you to join us for this fundraising effort organized by her family and many dear friends.

"The Queen of England must not receive better care than you give!" 

• A former resident at the care facility where Coleen worked for 36 years

October 25, 2025

Moose Lodge

1932 Ward Ave

La Crosse WI

12 PM Noon to 9 PM

Doors open at 12 PM Noon and close at 9 PM. Come on in for a silent auction featuring goodies from local businesses, raffles for the chance to win fun prizes, hot food, and delicious homemade desserts! All proceeds from this fundraiser will go towards helping Coleen make a comfortable and swift recovery. 

If you can't make it, don't worry! You are welcome to donate to Coleen's GoFundMe, linked below.

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,

FaithRose and Family