Cancer too young

The daughter of Terry and Roxanne Peterson, Alta, a 2009 graduate of Washington High School in Cherokee, finished her first year of college at Dakota State in Madison, SD, and was an outstanding member of the college softball team.

She was anxious for this summer to end and to return to college but has had to put a hold on those plans.

In July, Kelsie was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a fast-growing and relatively rare form of cancer that is most common in children ages 15 and under. She is currently undergoing intense treatments that will continue for 45 weeks.

A polyp on Kelsie's cervix was discovered by an OBGYN, being referred there by her local doctor, and upon removal and testing, she was told it was cancer, not even 10 days after her 20th birthday.

Naturally, she was upset, said her mom Roxanne, realizing she couldn't finish the summer rec slow pitch softball league she was a member of and that she would have to take a year off from her studies at Dakota State.

Kelsie's treatments are being delivered at Estabrook Cancer Center in Omaha, and involve 90-minute treatments once a week for three weeks a month and intense treatments - 8 a.m.-5 p.m. - for two days during the third week of each month.

Read more of this story in the September 2 Pilot Tribune.

Copyright 2010 Storm Lake Pilot Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.