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Carter Olson and Diane Rollins will be honored at the annual American Cancer Relay for Life, held at the Almelund Threshing Grounds on Minnesota Highway 95 between Almelund and Taylors Falls.

The event this year is from 1:30 -10pm with much emphasis on families and children in the afternoon, including some really fun activities such as pumpkin painting, hay rides, apples, police canine demonstration, police cars, fire trucks, scarecrow judging, face painting, coloring tent, petting zoo, a huge silent auction, many games, scavenger hunt, bingo, lots of food. Children and adults are encouraged to wear their Halloween customs and enjoy treats or treating around the booths.  The relay will have s’mores at 8pm.

Formal Relay activities will begin at 4pm with a Reception for all survivors and their caregivers hosted by Fairview Lakes Hospital and Clinics, 5pm the Opening Ceremony and speeches from Honorary SurvivorsLuminary ceremony will begin at 6:45pm and the over 1,000 candles will be lighted at 7pm.

Relay organizers are thrilled to share the Honorary Survivors’ stories.

Carter is a precious 11 year old and is a 2011 survivor of a common pediatric brain tumor called medulloblastoma.  He is the grandchild of Carol Demoret and the late Tom Demoret, of Lindstrom, who also had cancer in 2009.  In the spring of his kindergarten year, Carter started having daily episodes of throwing up and for a couple of months, doctors thought he had reflex disease, allergies or problems with his sinuses.  But finally after a CAT scan, which showed a brain tumor in the back of his brain, he immediately had a nine-hour surgery at the University of MN Hospital. For two weeks he could not walk or talk and had little function on his left side.

But eventually, after hours of daily physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, Carter began to improve.  With extensive radiation and aggressive chemotherapy, he lost lots of weight and missed all of his first grade school year. With homebound teaching provided, he was able to join his second grade class in the Mounds View School District.  With 504 adaptions for his balance and visual problems, lots of support from his teachers and principal, school went fairly well but his love of hockey had to be filled with alternative hobbies. Fortunately, he has been able to ride his bicycle, swim, go bowling, play soccer and has become an excellent bow and arrow marksman in the past few years.  

Carter is an amazing boy and has a great attitude about his cancer.  He tries to concentrate on what he can do rather than what he cannot do and has learned lots of adult life lessons along his cancer journey. Carter has a goal to one day help other children who have medical problems.

He does not want to be special anymore and tries to not be scared of anything new even though the yearly October CAT scan and evaluations are still stressful.  His mother knows God has a great plan for Carter and finds her faith a special strength. She is so appreciative for the care, support and concern family, friends, and University of Minnesota, Masonic Children’s Hospital and Clinic have given.

Honorary Survivor number two is Diane Rollins, wife of Ron Rollins, a police officer with the North Branch Police Department and much earlier with Lakes Area Police Department.  Diane, also a brain cancer survivor, was diagnosed in April of 2015 with a Grade 4 right temporal lobe glioblastoma, just two weeks before their daughter’s wedding.

 The symptoms she had at the beginning were a numb thumb and numbness on her lip but an MRI confirmed the diagnosis of a brain tumor.  Diane and her immediate family and sisters went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and a biopsy confirmed the glioblastoma. The prognosis or predicted outcome was extremely dire.  The doctors immediately started chemotherapy along with radiation, which boosted the benefits of the chemo being used for her. 

For the six weeks they were at Mayo, the Rochester Police Department gave them free housing, so the family and dog could be there – no questions asked.   “Team” Diane and Ron are so thankful for this kindness. Everything both of them say, is always in terms of “we,” living this battle together, moment by moment, day by day as a team.

The local community, police department, Backing the Blue Line, Lions Club and many other individual persons around the county have been incredibly supportive to them, especially with a HUGE 4 ½ hour humbling benefit in September last year, at the North Branch American Legion. The money raised there has given them much joy especially allowing them to travel a bit, which they had done little while raising five children.  

They have been living, not dying, according to Diane. She feels the 18 months she has been walking the cancer journey, has strengthened her faith and her commitment to prayer. Both Diane and Ron want to minister to others and they like to go to other benefits in the community, to help others see the same miracle in their lives that they have seen in theirs.  Diane has one request - give blood if you can and or platelets frequently, as she has needed platelets and knows other cancer patients need transfusions too. If platelets are low, patients may have to wait or hold their treatments until they can get transfused and when in cancer treatment, time is important.

Both Diane and Ron believe God answers prayers and want to thank all those who have been so faithful in praying for healing.

If you would like more information, give a donation or register for the event see www.relayforlife.org/chisagoMN or  www.facebook.com/RelayForLife of Chisago MN or connect with the co chairpersons, [email protected] or [email protected].

Submitted by
Martha Arnold

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