ELLSWORTH – An Ellsworth High School alumna recently received a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis, and her family and friends are holding a benefit to help with her expenses.
Faith Mitchell, …
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ELLSWORTH – An Ellsworth High School alumna recently received a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis, and her family and friends are holding a benefit to help with her expenses.
Faith Mitchell, Class of 2020 and current Ellsworth resident, began having bad chest pains, shortness of breath and a persistent cough. She originally thought it was pneumonia and after a week of being on antibiotics and not improving, the doctors knew something more serious was going on and proceeded with CT scans. The scans revealed a tumor in Mitchell’s chest.
She was officially diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on Dec. 23 and had her first round of chemotherapy on Christmas Eve.
A benefit is planned for 2 p.m. Feb. 21 at Broz Bar in Ellsworth, complete with a raffle and silent auction. Proceeds raised will help Mitchell with medical bills, treatment-related costs, college payments and daily living expenses since she can no longer work.
Mitchell said her mom and stepdad live in Ellsworth, while her dad and stepmom live in Martell.
“I was working as a CNA at Ellsworth Health Services in Ellsworth most recently, but prior to that I worked my way through different roles at Nilssens for seven years where I really got to know the community as I worked through high school and after,” she said.
She currently attends Concordia University in St. Paul. Though on winter break, she’s going to try to return to classes when they resume. She is in the diagnostic medical sonography program and plans to pursue a career in pediatric echocardiography.
Overall, Mitchell said she is doing well.
“Some days are better than others,” she said. “The only place to go from here is up!”
She just completed her second round of chemotherapy on Jan. 7 and still has quite a bit of chest pain from the tumor.
Mitchell loves hanging out with her friends and family, going on what she calls “little adventures” in the area when the weather is nice, whether that be driving around, going fishing, or anything else that sounds like fun that day. Her brother-in-law Wesley Franklin, who works at the Ellsworth WESTconsin branch, describes Mitchell as an easy going, selfless individual who loves bringing light to others.
“Through all of this, with her entire world being turned upside down, Faith has been a light through all of it for her family, even as she faces cancer head on,” Franklin said. “She always radiates positivity no matter the circumstances or what kind of day she is having.”
Franklin said Mitchell has seen a huge outpouring of support. A partial, incomplete list of items for the raffle and silent auction includes:
Many other items are currently in the works. Stay tuned on Facebook as they will post updates on upcoming donations as they come in.
Anyone wishing to donate items can contact Franklin at wfranklin@westconsincu.org. Any monetary donations can be made at any WESTconsin Credit Union location or mailed to WESTconsin Credit Union, 385 W. Main St., PO Box 408, Ellsworth, WI 54011.
The family would also like to recognize Broz Bar for hosting the benefit.
