One family from the battle to the dance

[l. to r.] Katie Reed, Bronwyn Pasche,
and Sara Meyers

Life isn’t always fair, but love is always there.

It wasn’t fair that St. Joseph Middle School student Bronwyn Pasche was diagnosed with leukemia in the fifth grade, but her St. Joseph family was there.

“It was inspiring to witness our students fight Bronwyn's battle right along with her,” Katie Reed, St. Joseph Middle School assistant principal, said. “They assisted her by carrying her books, helping her with her studies, and praying for her when the fight became tough.”

And when Bronwyn completed her final treatment two and half years later, her family was ready to celebrate her victory.

Middle school teachers Don Shafer and Tina Sprague organized a living rosary in the gym, where middle school students and staff were the beads.

Living Rosary for Bronwyn in the school gym

Forty students wore red shirts for the “Hail Mary” beads. Five members of Bronwyn’s seventh-grade class wore black shirts for the “Our Father” beads. And ten of the teachers and staff wore orange – the color for the fight against leukemia – as the last decade of the rosary.

As a school family, they said the Luminous Mysteries in gratitude for Bronwyn’s recovery and sang “Ave Maria”.

Afterward, Bronwyn’s mother Heather Pasche addressed the students.

“The kindness and the love and the caring that you have shown Bronwyn has been the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed,” Ms. Pasche said. “From helping her on the risers during concerts to carrying her books to praying for her, it was all a very important part of Bronwyn becoming healthy again. I think I speak for all the adults in the room when I say we are all so very proud of you and how you have grown up.”

Bronwyn received a bouquet of orange tulips and a resounding round of applause.

Dance proceeds went to the St. Baldrick's Foundation

The celebration continued that evening, as students returned to the school to dance and give back.

“Bronwyn loves to dance and she loves popcorn, so we decided to celebrate a dance in her honor,” Mrs. Sprague said. ”We talked to her mom to find out what charity she would like the money to go to.”

The theme was “spring” and the cause was the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raises money for childhood cancer research.

“It was a spring dance and Bronwyn has new life and spring is the celebration of new life,” Mrs. Sprague said.

Everyone had a wonderful time. Better still, $300 was given to St. Baldrick’s in Bronwyn’s name to assist other children in their battle against leukemia.

“I believe this is a true testament as to why our schools are so special,” Ms. Reed said. “We absorb each other’s challenges and get through them together because we are not only a school, but also a family.”