Steeleville HS gathering items for Ronald McDonald House
<p dir="ltr"><span>The pain is still fresh for Dianne Stoffel.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Slightly more than five years after the passing of her daughter, Tara Lynn, Stoffel spoke to a group of Steeleville High School students on Tuesday regarding the benefits of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which helped the Stoffel family during Tara's treatment.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"Every day is just like (Tara's death) was yesterday," Stoffel said.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>At the time of her passing, Tara was a 17-year-old junior at Steeleville High School and a member of the school's basketball and dance teams, Math Club, Science Club, FBLA, Yearbook staff and Flags.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>After coming home from a trip with her boyfriend, Tara exhibited signs of Bell's Palsy, which can cause the weakness or paralysis of muscles on one side of your face.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Tara received treatment for the condition, but as time wore on, more symptoms developed.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>After being admitted to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Belleville for having difficulty breathing and fluid in her lungs, Tara was diagnosed with Nk-cell leukemia - a rare and aggressive form of the disease.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Lymphoma was also discovered in Tara's stomach lining, kidneys and lungs.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In August 2011, Tara's brother, Wesley, was determined to be a match for a bone marrow transplant. A month later, Tara underwent the transplant and in October 2011, she was declared cancer-free.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"And on November 8, she died," Stoffel said. "The lymphoma had come back."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Stoffel credited her daughter's doctors and Tara's strength for turning what had been an expectancy of seven to 14 days to live to four months.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Tara would have turned 22 years old on September 28. </span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The SHS students are gathering important items to be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of St. Louis. Items must be of new condition.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"It's a worthy cause," Stoffel said. "Cancer can happen to anybody."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The drive starts Wednesday, Dec. 7, and continues until Tuesday, Dec. 13. Students will deliver the items on Dec. 15. For more information, or to donate, contact SHS teacher Valerie Ruebusch at vruebusch@steeleville138.org.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Items needed include the following:</span>
<p dir="ltr">Travel-size toiletry products
<p dir="ltr"><span>Toothpaste</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Deodorant</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Shampoo</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Conditioner</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Hairspray</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Hand sanitizer</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Individually-wrapped toothbrush</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Individually-wrapped combs</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Soap</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Lotion</span>
<p dir="ltr">Individually-wrapped packages of
<p dir="ltr"><span>Crackers/cookies</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Oatmeal/Cream of wheat</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Cereal</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Snack bars</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Cereal bars</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Pop tarts</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Microwave popcorn</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Fruit/pudding cups</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Chips</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Ready to eat</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Canned/boxed pasta</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Canned/cup soup</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Drinks</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Bottled water</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Juice boxes</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Canned/bottle soda</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Hot chocolate packets</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Coffee/tea bags</span>
<p dir="ltr">Paper products
<p dir="ltr"><span>Toilet paper</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Q tips</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Wipes</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Tampons</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Kotex pads</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Dish soap</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Paper plates</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Napkins</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Plastic baggies</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Dryer sheets</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Liquid laundry detergent</span>
<p dir="ltr">Activities
<p dir="ltr"><span>Coloring books</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Crayons</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Drawing paper</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Pencils/pens</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Word search books</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Crossword books</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Sudoku books</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Journals</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Push, pull and musical toys</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Fisher Price/Playskool toys</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Action figures and accessories</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Popular, trendy kids' gifts</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>DVDs/videos</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Nonviolent video games</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Lego sets</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Bath and body gift sets</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Makeup kits</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Costume jewelry and fashion watches</span>
<span> </span>