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At 55, Noell Reed felt she had reached a pinnacle in her life. She was pleased with what she had been able to accomplish, given the circumstances of her life, and was content for the first time. What she could not have prepared for was the next setback she would encounter…

Finding her way as a divorced parent in the ’80s was a struggle for Noell. More than anything, it was her goal to make a life for herself and her kids that was as normal as possible. She worked hard to be a good provider and found that a difficult task. While Noell had a college degree in business and teaching, it would take juggling several part-time jobs to earn a living. She worked desperately to balance work, time for her kids and furthering her education with night classes to make a better life

for her family.

After her son Andrew graduated from high school, Noell and her daughter Carol moved from Owatonna to Mankato. Here Noell, who was licensed in Community Education, would begin work as Executive Director of Summit Center. The job has been perfect for her, as she enjoys working with senior citizens. Planning and initiating programs is right up her alley and taking an active role in the community is something she loves.

Noell had reached a point where she could relax and enjoy life a little more. Her kids were grown and doing well. She had the job she wanted and felt good about it.

She was content. More than content, she was doing things she wanted to do rather than what she had to do just to survive.

She was getting involved in the community and even ran for a school board position that was open. She lost, but was determined not to lose again. She attended every school board meeting for two years until the next election, and at that time she was voted in. She also joined a group called “Women Who Dine.” They are women who meet quarterly for dinner and conversation.

On one particular day, Noell happened down a street in Mankato she had never been on before. She wasn’t house shopping or even thinking about buying a house. When they moved to Mankato she had decided to rent and liked where she was living. There was something about this place, a house set back from the road

surrounded by trees with a deck out front that drew her in. She stopped and took a brochure on the “For Sale” sign out front. Her heart started beating faster and then seemingly out of nowhere she began to cry.

She needed to be here. Not because she felt she deserved or earned it, but because it was right. She tells of the experience being a very humbling one and the feeling that it was in tune and in-line with where she needed to be. What the inside of the house was like didn’t really matter. It was the setting. Getting back to what she had loved as a child—the woods and the outdoors. The house came down to a price she could afford and she moved in. Life was good, but it was about to get better.

Marriage was another thing she had put out of her mind. She’d been there, gotten a divorce, wasn’t really looking for a husband, but she found one through a Mankato

connection. His name was Joel. He was single, and a pastor whose parish was in South Dakota. He had gone to school at MSU in Mankato however, and would end up moving to back Mankato after he and Noell eloped in July 2002.

In November of 2002, Noell was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer.

When asked what it was like to hear she had cancer, Noell said, “It stops you in your tracks. But then you want to do something about it.”

She hadn’t felt quite right since April, but passed it off as a bug. After all, she was busy thinking about her own elopement and planning her daughter’s October wedding, so she didn’t think much of it. In November, she still didn’t feel right, but her only symptom was spotting. She made an appointment with her doctor at Mankato Clinic who right away suspected something more was wrong and ordered tests. Upon learning it was ovarian cancer, surgery was scheduled ten days later at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.

It would take seven hours in surgery for a total hysterectomy, removing her spleen and as much of the cancer as possible. Not knowing in advance what her prognosis might be, you can imagine her relief when the doctor was pleased with the results they had accomplished. It was then she realized she wasn’t going to die, but that she would be living with cancer. She was referred to Mankato Clinic’s new oncologist Dr. Patricia Deisler.

After surgery and three weeks in Rochester, Noell has continued with on-going chemotherapy and keeps regular appointments at Mankato Clinic. Because her health is monitored so thoroughly, the lung cancer she would later develop was found early on. Surgery to remove the tumor in her lung was done successfully in the winter of 2004.

For Noell, living with cancer has meant managing it. She heeds the advice of her doctor and the medical team, and takes the necessary pills and shots. She does her best to handle the times when she is tired and moving slowly because of treatments. Similar to when she was a single mom of two small children, Noell’s emotions took a backseat to the task at hand. She would stay strong and would get through this, because this time she was not alone.

Even with all her independence, Noell has recognized the need to draw on her faith, recognizing that God did not intend for any one of us to go through times like this alone. She has had her kids and her husband beside her. She has had the friendship and support of her oncologist Dr. Patricia Deisler. On Christmas Day 2002, Dr. Deisler even called Noell at home to see how she was feeling and to wish her a Merry Christmas. Through it all, Noell has exhibited a beautiful portrayal of true strength and will, giving us all an example of a perpetual love of life.