7’s HERO: Star woman donates chemo care kits for patients at Nampa cancer center
Wife and mom Stephanie Kjerstad was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in 2020. After going through aggressive treatment, she wanted to give back to other patients. Author: Maggie O Mara Updated: 7:21 AM MST February 22, 2021
STAR, Idaho Getting a cancer diagnosis and beginning the recommended course of treatment is not easy, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made that daunting task even more difficult.
Due to COVID-19 safety protocols, patients undergoing surgery or chemotherapy are not allowed to bring friends and family in with them for support.
Stephanie Kjerstad, a wife and mother from Star, is just one of thousands of local patients facing a cancer diagnosis during the pandemic. She battled Stage 3 colorectal cancer in 2020, and was shocked when she received the diagnosis in her forties.
7’s Hero: Friends raise money for wheelchair accessible van for Star family with disabled son
The Fox family totaled their original van in an accident. The community came together to get them a new van that would accommodate their young son’s wheelchair. Author: Maggie O Mara Updated: 7:03 AM MST February 15, 2021
STAR, Idaho Alex and Tamara Fox welcomed their third baby boy, Karston, to their family in 2010. The Star couple was stunned to find he was born with a condition that impacts the ability to use his legs called arthrogryposis.
“When Karston was born, we did not know that there would be any problems so it was quite the shock,” said Tamara Fox, Karston’s mom. “He s had several surgeries for his hips and legs, and there will be several more surgeries to come, but he is truly the light of our life.”
7’s Hero: Boise gas station employees gift new bike to their favorite customer
Bobby Sutcliffe, an employee at Vista Chevron, and his coworkers purchased a new bike for one of their regulars who has brightened their days during the pandemic. Author: Maggie O Mara Updated: 4:25 AM MST February 8, 2021
BOISE, Idaho Bobby Sutcliffe works at the Vista Chevron by the airport in Boise. He loves his job, his coworkers, and his regular customers.
One of those regulars is Chris McDermott.
“We have like seven or eight employees, and the second somebody sees him, it just lights up the workplace, Sutcliffe said. I mean, I just love him. We have people come here just to see Chris. They say, Has he been here yet? Is he coming?
I wrote about the Idaho Food Bank s big challenge campaign last week,
The Idaho Kind Campaign. Food Bank is challenging Idahoans to call out people doing kind things in the Treasure Valley by using #Idahokind.
The goal was to create 1,000 acts of kindness while raising $200,000 in assistance providing one million meals. Local cattle feeders have just made their mark with an annual donation.
This is first of all just amazing what the Idaho Food Bank is doing. We need kindness in our country more now than ever. Several companies and organizations teamed up to give 100 meals that include beef for each day in 2021. That s $22,000 in donations ensuring food every day for the Idaho Food Bank for people needing assistance.