Community rallies to support first-grade teacher and her family as she battles cancer
Nineteen students are without their teacher, and four children are missing their mom while she is away from home for treatments. Quincy Elementary School first-grade teacher Kara Torrence (Ms. Torrence) began her fight against cancer last summer when she was diagnosed with metastatic adenocarcinoma. She underwent five weeks of radiation and chemo.
After traveling weekly to and from Reno, she completed this treatment and returned to her first-grade classroom last fall. Unfortunately, after a recent procedure, Kara and her family received the heartbreaking news that the cancer has traveled to her lymph nodes.
Despite the joy that teaching brings Kara, she must now take the rest of the school year off to pursue a more aggressive treatment. Kara has begun six months of systemic chemotherapy targeting her whole body to hopefully wipe out anything that may be hiding.
Two of her friends, Erica Perdue and Lindsey Kimzey, set up a gofundme account seeking to raise $20,000 to help Kara and her family cover the costs associated with her treatment. They wrote:
“Kara is the kind of person who would help people a thousand times before she would ask for help for herself. While Kara is a fighter, today she needs the help of her friends, loved ones and the community to face this fight. Kara is a devoted, patient, and strong mother of four amazing young people. She is a loving and loyal wife. She is a thoughtful, wise, and fun friend. And perhaps what so many of us know and admire about her is that she is a creative, warm, and generous teacher to so many of our children. She has dedicated over 18 years to educating young people in our community, most recently her beloved 1st-grade class at Quincy Elementary. She has helped so many of us in so many ways and now it is our turn to help her.
“Your donation will help lighten the stress of all the basic family expenses while Kara is out of work, including rent, food, gas, and utilities. Keeping a roof over this family’s head is one of the most important goals of this campaign. Additionally, your donation will be helping with medical and travel expenses because treatment is in Reno. Providing financial relief will allow Kara to focus on the most important priority: her health.”
The friends ask anyone who can to support the gofundme account that as of Feb. 9 had raised over $16,000, or, as an alternative a separate account has been set up at Plumas Bank for locals to donate. “Please know that every prayer, meal, hug, and dollar is received with immense gratitude from all of us, but especially from Kara and her family,” they said.
During an interview Feb. 9, Kimzey said that Kara has been overwhelmed by the help that she is receiving from the community and is very appreciative.
Other fundraiser opportunites (Dates updated)
Grab ‘n’ Go lunch
Quincy Provisions at the corner of Lawrence and Bradley
Event to be held 11 am. to 4 p.m. on Friday, March 3
Lasagna, garlic bread and dessert for $15
$10 of every lunch sold goes to Kara and her family
Boogie and Breakfast
Take a Zumba Class and enjoy breakfast
Danielle Frid and Lindsey Kimzey are sponsoring the event
Quincy High School Cafeteria, 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 18
Suggested $10 donation will go directly to Kara and her family