Keith Kennedy is Relay For Life honorary chair, cancer survivor

By Beth Dickman

, Hudson Star-Observer
Published Friday, June 15, 2007

As superstitions go, Friday the 13th is the one day not to cross a black cat or walk underneath a ladder. On Friday, April 13, 2001, Keith Kennedy’s doctor discovered a brain tumor, and he was told he would never work again.

“I fought a brain tumor awhile back,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy, 42, an independent information technology consultant and longtime Hudson resident, defied his odds and has resumed working. Though he is now plagued by epilepsy, a common side effect of surviving such conditions, he has regained the majority of his functioning abilities, he said.

Hudson Relay Family

The tumor Kennedy contracted was difficult to classify, said Keri Kennedy, Keith’s wife of almost 12 years. It was an astrocytic tumor, but any further classification was not determined.

An astrocytic tumor is a lump that grows on the cells that support and protect the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic Web site.

Keri said they went to five oncologists to determine the exact classification, but came up with no precise conclusion.

“The type that it is most like is a brain tumor that comes back,” Keith said. “So, they’re keeping a close eye on it.”

Two months after the tumor was discovered, Keith had surgery to remove as much of it as possible at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and began the long journey to recovery.

“They removed a pretty sizeable part of my brain,” he said. “I spent a year at home after the surgery not functioning well at all.”

Possible treatment options for a brain tumor include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. However, for Keith’s tumor, chemotherapy was not a viable option. Surgery was the first route chosen to remove the cancer cells, but radiation is being kept as an option for the future, Keith said.

Keith is currently living cancer-free with few problems resulting from the tumor, Keri said. As of yet, there has been no sign of a relapse.

Since Keith was diagnosed in 2001, the Kennedy family has been an active part of Relay For Life, a team event to fight cancer hosted by the American Cancer Society.

This year, Keith was chosen to be the honorary chairperson for the Hudson-area event, taking place June 22-23 at Rock Elementary School.

As the honorary chair, Keith not only is a part of his family’s team, but also will give a speech at the luminary ceremony and will lead the survivor’s lap during the event.

“My wife is on the committee so I know how I was elected,” Keith said. “I definitely felt honored by it [being nominated]. It’s intimidating to have to give a speech and also do this interview.”

Though Keri is on the committee for the Hudson relay, it was their daughter Keli that nominated him to be the honorary chairperson this year.

Lori DeBoer, chair of the Hudson-area Relay For Life, said both Keith and Keri have shown great dedication to the cause and to the relay.

“One of the reasons we chose him for the honorary chair position is because he really had a long journey,” DeBoer said. “He is such a firm believer in what ACS can do and has done.”

Keith, Keri and their daughter Keli will be walking in the relay for their sixth year. In 2002, the Kennedy family, along with several members of their extended family, joined the hospital’s team in order to be a part of the event. In 2003, Keri created “Keith’s Brain Trust,” a team comprised of Keith, Keri, Keli, a couple of family friends and several family members, primarily from Keri’s side since they are located in the area.

“For a small family team, it has definitely had some amazing years,” Keith said. “The team has won a lot of awards for the event over the years.”

Ever since Hudson has gone online for fundraising and organizing the teams, “Keith’s Brain Trust” has done well raising money, Keri said.

“The first year we were online, our team was on top,” she said. “Over time we’ve won gold and silver and platinum. We’ve done pretty well fundraising.”

Team Parade

Keri was the top individual online fundraiser in 2005 and the team was the top online fundraiser in 2005 for all of Wisconsin. That was the year the team reached platinum status bringing in over $11,000. In 2006, Keith’s Brain Trust reached gold status, raising over $5,000; in 2004 they were a silver team raising just shy of $5,000, Keri said.

This year’s Relay For Life team is online again fundraising and encouraging people to get involved. Keri is one of the main contacts for the Hudson-area Relay For Life event.

“Keri does a lot for Relay For life,” DeBoer said. “She takes on the online and the registration. She’s also in charge of the newsletter. Without her help with registration, we wouldn’t have an event.”

Keri is already planning next year’s event by training in her replacement, someone to fill in with registration and the online work, DeBoer said. All of the work is done voluntarily.

“She’s very dedicated,” DeBoer said. “I can only imagine that it’s like a part-time job; she dedicates so much time.”

In the past, Keith’s Brain Trust has done well fundraising and also has had a full team of 15 people with extras that go to the event to support and help out in any way possible.

At press time, the team for next week’s event has 12 of the 15 available slots filled and has raised approximately $1,500.

Keri said that they have been focusing on getting the community involved and creating awareness of Relay For Life. The theme this year is “Wizard of Oz,” so they’ve been placing broomsticks and witches hats in neighborhoods as reminders.

“Our goal this year, instead of focusing so much on the monetary part of fundraising is to have fun and promote the event as a whole,” Keri said. “We really want to get out into the community and get as many people interested as possible.”

For more information about Relay for Life, visit www.relayforlife.org. For information about the Hudson event, call Lori DeBoer at (715) 386-2300, ext. 7806, or visit www.acsevents.org/relay/wi/hudson.

“This year we want to be the team that has as much fun as possible,” Keri said.

Relay for Life is for people of all ages who are interested in joining the fight against cancer. Keith’s Brain Trust is encouraging everyone to participate.

Keith said, “I am a cancer survivor.”

The question is being asked Why are you involved with Relay For Life? So I thought this would be a good time to answer that question. It isn't an easy answer, however.

• I first got involved with Relay For Life back in 2002. I read about it in my local paper. It caught my eye because my husband, Keith was still recovering from a brain tumor that had been surgically removed the year before at Mayo in Rochester, or technically, at St. Mary's hospital there. We joined the local Hospital Relay team and thought it was a pretty fun time, as well as a very moving and inspirational experience for the survivors during the luminaria ceremony after dark. The next year we created our own family and friends team, Keith's Brain Trust, which we've continued on with every year.
• The team has continued on, but that has been far from my only reason to be involved with Relay. I'm also involved because after being a part of it that second year once we created our own team, I felt it was important that because we were taking part and utilizing what was put in place for every team, someone from the team should get involved in helping to organize and coordinate the event itself. So the next year, I became a committee member, vowing to myself that I would not leave the committee unless I also found two people to replace me.
• Another reason I continue are the incredible people that I have met since I got involved. Every year when the event comes along and you go to that track and begin to walk around it with other survivors, caregivers, family and friends of those who have walked the cancer walk, you are there walking with your own kin. You may learn names, or you may not. All the same, you know these people. They are your people. At least for that one night every year.
  
• I've also met incredible people through being on the committee. Some of my fellow committee members have been there since the Relay came to our town. Some of them brought the Relay to our town. You don't stay on a committee like Relay from the beginning because you want to be patted on the back for being such a shiny happy person. No, you do it because you have an axe to grind with cancer. You have a goal to see the end of the disease and you want to see it through to that end. These are some awesome people who as they see the committee size dwindling, just pick up more of the tasks and don't b1tch about it. Little introverted me was pretty intimidated walking into this group of strong personalities. But they are simply there for the same reason I am. So I've found that we can work together pretty well. Even when they know I'd rather be hiding under a rock sometimes.
  
• But the main reasons I'm involved with Relay? Are contained in the inspiration list I've been working on since I started blogging at 500miles2nowhere. There have been a few problems at Blogger over the years and as a result I know that my list has lost a couple of names once in a while as I don't back up as often as I should. But this is pretty complete. As close as I can get.
  
• My Inspirations:
• Allen
• Al D
• Amy (my cousin)
• Aunt Evie
• Ardele
• Barb Pendergrass
• Bea N
• Bernadine (Blogger Linda Dasherwood’s Mommy)
• Bernie O (my wonderful friend and hygienist Barb’s husband)
• Betsy 2
  
• Betsy
  
• Betty
  
• Bobby Jean
  
• Brian P from River Falls – A brain tumor Warrior
  
• Bryan
  
• Butch (my birthday twin from River Falls and Farkeling buddy)
  
• Caryl
  
• Cassie
  
• Cathy M
  
• Charlie
  
• Chris Silver
  
• Chris T
  
• Cissie
  
• Claire
  
• Connor Dykes (baby brain tumor warrior)
  
• Daisy
  
• Dalene Entenmann (fellow blogger)
  
• Dana (fellow blogger at think_pink.typepad.com)
  
• Dawn D from River Falls
  
• Dave
  
• David M. Bailey (our brain tumor hero – now nearly 11 years survivor)
  
• Deb (fellow blogger debutaunt.blogger.com)
  
• Diane V
  
• Donna R
  
• Duke H (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Elaine B
  
• Elsie M
  
• Noelle H
  
• Evy N (fellow Committee member)
  
• Ruth (fellow Committee member)
  
• Mike (former Committee member)
  
• Gail M
  
• Grant T (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Holly
  
• Ian
  
• Irene C
  
• Jack
  
• Jackie
  
• Jan
  
• Jerry (fellow Blogger Dana’s Dad)
  
• Jim B (fellow Blogger Heather’s uncle)
  
• Joe (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Joel L (childhood neighbor)
  
• John D
  
• Kathleen
  
• Katie’s mother in law (my blog buddy Katie)
  
• Katie R
  
• Keith (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Keith Warner
  
• Lance (yup. I do it for Lance Armstrong, too. He inspires me a lot.)
  
• LaVetta (former coworker)
  
• Lenny
  
• Linda E
  
• Lisa
  
• Lisa (former neighbor and fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Lois
  
• Blogger Mark’s grandpa
  
• Maria (blogger Silverfox-whispers.com)
  
• Marijean (committee member’s mom)
  
• Marn (blogger who got me started on 500 miles in the first place!)
  
• Mary M
  
• Mary Jane
  
• Maudie
  
• Michael
  
• Michael Billet
  
• Mike (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Mike 2 (another fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Minerva (blogger at womanlyparts.blogspot.com)
  
• Moe (blogger Kristen’s sorority sister)
  
• Nancy Lindstrom
  
• Noel
  
• Norah O
  
• Pam H
  
• Patti Belfiori (teacher from Kel’s old school)
  
• Patti B’s sister
  
• Patty S
  
• Paula
  
• Phil
  
• Phil C
  
• Priscilla
  
• Randy M
  
• Randy W (fellow brain tumor warrior
  
• Ruth
  
• Ryan
  
• Sahara Aldridge
  
• Scott
  
• Shawna
  
• Stacey R
  
• Steve
  
• Sue (fellow blogger Heather’s Aunt)
  
• Todd
  
• Todd L
  
• Tracey
  
• Tracey K (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Tricia
  
• VJ’s mom
  
• Vernon (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Vicki
  
  
• Uncle Bill
  
• Uncle Roy
  
• Grandma C
  
• Grandpa B
  
• Dale Jawarski
  
• Marv S
  
• Monica Jensen
  
• Greg Roy (BTW)
  
• Anthony (BTW)
  
• Steve Emerson (fellow brain tumor warrior)
  
• Andre
  
• Nada
  
• Annie’s grandpa Carl
  
• Gerry C
  
• Sarah
  
• Tim G (BTW)
  
• Vonnie H
  
• Ned Neddersen
  
• Carl Dietz
  
• Virginia Dietz
  
• Bob Dietz
  
• Lloyd K
  
• Faith Wilson
  
• Delores S
  
• Kathy (BTW)
  
• Minnie’s Sis (BTW)
  
• Cecilia Ledevehat
  
• Mylette Simone
  
• Dana Perry
  
• Elaine
  
• Karen
  
• Ruth O
  
• Don B
  
• Ed S
  
• Gwen H
  
• Bill H
  
• Robert C
  
• Olga
  
• Dorothy
  
• Matt K
  
• Sam C
  
• Ed S
  
• John D
  
• Paul C
  
• Eric P
  
• Olivia S
  
• Delores L
  
• Hilary
  
• Joy
  
• Marlene Z
  
• Paul Neises
  
• Ivan Noble
  
• Pat K
  
• Leona
  
• Vince
  
• Wayne S
  
• Danny K
  
• Scott P
  
• Judy Kay
  
• Craig W
  
• Ena Mae Robb
  
• Sunny
  
• Peter Jennings
  
• David
  
• Lori
  
• Richard Lee Karpf
  
• Dori
  
• Ljubo
  
• Marge
  
• MaryEllen S
  
• John P
  
• Dana Reeve
  
• Eric Shaffer
  
• Jim L
  
• Anne Milbauer Jo
  
• Carol M
  
• Jessica (blogger at Cancerbaby.typepad.com)
  
• Sydnor
  
• Aunt Dot
  
• Uncle By
  
• Uncle Ken
  
• Roger Bleeker
  
• Courtney
  
• Miles
  
• Peter Huseboe
  
• Sherry
  
• Bud Macbride
  
• Kimberly Myers-Gordon
• Dale Jaworski
  
• Tom McConaughey
• baseball mom's grandma

So I'm writing again. Another blog. And while I had no plans to concentrate much on Relay For Life or cancer or the people who inspire me to continue year after year to volunteer for ACS and their flagship fund raising program, I'm only a few posts in to the writing of my blog and the topic is just that. I'm not going to write about what got me into Relay to begin with. I'll save that topic for another day. Nope. The topic of this post is what keeps me there. Why I continue to be a team captain with the Relay and why I am a member of the committee and why I try to recruit others to join teams, form teams, become members of the committee or contribute funds to the event year round.

I do it because last Tuesday, a young woman named Monica, only 33 years old, was taken from her three beautiful little girls and her husband after fighting melanoma very courageously. And so many of us watched that amazing battle via her Caring Bridge page and so many will still attend the golf tournament and 5k walk/run fund raiser that was arranged long before anyone knew that she would not be around to see it happen.

I continue to do it because our wonderful friend pictured below has been battling cancer and is one of the dearest and gentlest souls that I know in the entire world. He and his wife have already had enough heartache after losing one of their sons to violence a few years ago and truly do not deserve any more pain. He spent Easter in the hospital because he is no longer able to keep food down and had to have a feeding tube inserted directly to his stomach. There is nothing more they are able to do for him medically aside from keeping his pain abated. This illness sucks.

I continue to do it because little Grant, when asked if he ever gets sad about being sick, responds with "No because I have a really good life." Nine years old and diagnosed in March of 2006 with a brainstem glioma which could have killed him but instead with radiation and chemo he has been battling this beast for over a year. Rock on little Brain Tumor Warrior.

I continue to do it for people like Deb who battled so hard and is now so soft in her heart for other survivors and those doing battle. I do it for her precious and gorgeous little girl Zoe who is now leading a team for the Light the Night for Leukemia Walkathon. Because she is a tiny little powerhouse who rocks just like her mommy. Go see them both. You will fall in love with them.

I continue to do it because of the many cancer survivors I have met along the way. In real life (I call it 3D most frequently) and online. There are so many you cannot imagine. They all have incredible stories to share and have all walked incredible paths. They deserve kudos.

I continue to do it for all of those out there telling me stories of loved ones they have lost to the beast. As I have said, and will continue to say, cancer sucks. And until it is eradicated, I will continue to do it.

my dear friends

And so, 500 Miles because my fund raising involves walking and/or running 500 miles by the Relay and earning pledges on my personal fund raising site.

If you want to donate, and have a loved one you wish to honor, I will wear their name at the Relay and put it on our Inspirations banner which will hang there, too. Let me know. I'd also love to hear their (or your!) story of battling the cancer beast.

To all of my fellow volunteers, I salute you, too. I know how difficult it can get. Every new friend or family member to be diagnosed is a new kick in the pants one way or another. Hang in there with me. Write me and let me know you are out there because I've been hitting my own low the last several months as our committee numbers dwindle and the diagnoses rise.

I also hope to spend more time at www.relayforlife.org as we can find all sorts of great information. I'll write more about this later, too. You can find me there as KinnicChick, as well.