Today (Friday) is World Cancer Day, and local officials are marking the occasion by recognizing those who have had cancer, are currently fighting cancer or will
CARROLL, Iowa (KCCI) Inside Kuemper Catholic Grade School, kids are learning about kindness.
“We talk all the time about filling other people’s buckets,” said Jill Wenck, a kindergarten teacher. “What it looks like. What is sounds like.”
But it’s what’s happening outside the classroom that’s setting the life lesson in motion.
All because a student’s family of Hawkeye fans got an idea. With a mom by her side, kindergartener Andi Nieland is leading the way to show someone their wave.
Deb Nieland is the reason.
“Just made my hear to happy. Just unreal. Just surprise, surprise. Just a little wave can make your day,” Nieland said.
Last Saturday, many people tuned in to hear a drumroll and the announcement of the 2021 Friends of Kuemper Ball grand total. Organizers never fail to astound as they continue to generate more than a half million dollars of educational support for the Kuemper Catholic School System. But the Kuemper family is not only working to raise money. They are also working to raise children with a mission and a purpose of giving in any way they can. There was likely not a dry eye in the house Saturday as a video debuted of an idea to bring the University of Iowa’s Iowa Wave to patients at the St. Anthony Cancer Center. Deb Nieland was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. Since family could not be with her, they talked about her grandkids who happen to be big Iowa fans coming by to wave at her through the wall of windows at the center. Her daughter-in-law, Amber Nieland, and granddaughter, Andi, took it a step further.