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The
O RIndependent
Vol. 135 No. 22 ◊ Groton, Brown County, South Dakota ◊ Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018 ◊ Established in 1889 Community rallies in support of
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Ava Tunheim
Pictured above, in back, left to right, are Chris- topher, Allison and Nathan; in front are Ava and Tobey. (Courtesy photo)
It’s a journey that an individual should not face, especially for a Groton Area seventh grader. It’s a journey of challenges where hope and prayer are the weapons.
Ava Tunheim was having some bad headaches. Her parents, Na- than and Allison Tunheim, took her to the doctor’s of ce where they said she had migraines. Nathan said no tests were done that day and said to wait a couple of weeks to see if they get better. That was around the rst of the year.
While they were out ice shing in Mobridge on January 13, she was starting to have some stomach pains and a bad headache in the morning and that evening, they took her to the emergency room at the Mobridge Regional Hospital. They gave her some Protonix to help her sleep better. Nathan said,
Jasmine Schinkel, daughter of Marjae and Dan Schinkel, was crowned the 2018 Carnival of Silver Skates Queen.
A worker from Muth Electric worked on a few of the street lights along US12 in Groton yesterday. There were a few that were not working and there is yet one more pole that needs to be installed. (Photo by Tina Kosel)
It was a clear morning to view the lunar eclipse. It’s the rst time in 35 years a blue moon has synced up with a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse. (Photo by Paul Kosel)
“I was under the impression it was because of her age. A seventh grade girl with just hor- mones.” But yet, they knew something else was wrong. They took her to Sanford Emergency Room in Aberdeen on January 15 where they did some blood work. She had tested positive for mono. But there was suspicion of leukemia later in the day. She was taken to Sioux Falls where it was con rmed. On January 18 they did a spinal tap to make sure what it was, how much was cancerous and Ava had her rst chemo treatment that day.
On January 23, it was con rmed that Ava had Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). It is a relatively uncommon disease. Nathan said it has to be treated with a more aggressive type of treatment and instead of one month and checking for remission this will be a two month process. “This news is not good, but we will still beat it.” Ava will be at the Sanford Children’s Hospital in Sioux Falls until Friday, Jan. 26, when she will return home. Ava will have to go to Sioux Falls every Thursday for treatment. Nathan said that Ava will not be able to return to school until late fall at the earliest.
The news about Ava has taken Groton by storm.
The seventh graders and student council are planning t-shirt sales.
The seventh graders will be selling bracelets.
At the Feb 10 basketball double header with Mobridge-Pollock, the seventh grade is having
a fundraiser meal and tshirts will be sold that night.
The JH Band will also be doing a split pot for Ava at the Feb 6th Roncalli GBB game that
they play pep band for.
GDILIVE.COM will take all on-line donations from the boys and girls games being played in
Madison and donate them to Ava’s efforts.
While nancial help is greatly appreciated, prayers for God’s peace, comfort and healing are
in the forefront of everyone right now.
- Paul Kosel
Many students wore orange Tuesday evening to show their support for seventh grader Ava Tunheim. Ava is battling with Leukemia. (Photo by Julianna Kosel)