Help for Chad Nuese

Chad Nuese recently returned to his farm home six miles outside of Minneota after completing radiation and chemotherapy treatments at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for bile duct cancer.

But instead of plopping down on the couch and resting for a few days, the 40-year-old went back to work as a mechanic on the nearby Dennis Buysse farm the next day, while also raising cattle on his own farm.

“We're kind of a family of workaholics,” said his mother, Cheryl Nuese, who runs a daycare service out of her home during the week and works weekends at the Minneota Manor.

She and her husband, Dick, have a farm halfway between Cottonwood and Minneota. “I felt fine,” said Chad about returning to work. Chad is now awaiting a liver transplant.

“It could be up to a year and a half before I can get a liver (from an organ donor),” he said.

“It could be sooner if someone is a match and donates half of their liver to me.” To help defray medical costs, a benefit is being hosted by “around 10” daycare mom's that bring their children to Cheryl's daycare home.

“I saw how it affected Chad's mom so I contacted all the day care mom's that use Cheryl's daycare to see if they would like to put a benefit on,” said Julie Pohlen of Minneota. “We had two meetings and things started to come together. Kristie Nuese, Chad's sister, has really helped a lot, too.”

Daycare mothers from Minneota, Cottonwood and Marshall, as well as several of their daycare children, will volunteer at the benefit.

The benefit will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29 at the Cottonwood Community Center.

“We're hoping the money raised will help Chad and his wife Stacie in the future,” said Pohlen. Chad and Stacie were married this past February.

Chad now has a stepson, Ty, 13. The upcoming benefit will feature a pulled pork sandwich meal that will include BBQ sauce, cole slaw, chips, bars/cookies and water.

The meal is free-will donation with a suggested donation of $5. “All the food was donated by people in the area that reached out and generously wanted to help,” said Pohlen.

“Someone donated a pig, and Dick and Cheryl are going to roast it for the pulled pork sandwiches.”

There will also be a silent auction that includes over 50 donated items. “We have a lot of awesome donations for the silent auction,” Pohlen said.

“We will auction things like bean bag games, a metal fire pit, a lot of restaurant certificates and much more. We're going to raffle off a rifle that someone donated, too.”

The silent auction closes at 1:30 p.m.

Chad, who graduated from Minneota in 1996, was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in late February after first being tested at the Sioux Falls Hospital and later at the Mayo Clinic.

“I noticed one night when they came over for supper that Chad was looking pale and kind of jaundiced,” said Cheryl.

“I asked him if he was feeling okay and he said he was fine. But he always says that.”

A few days later, though, Chad and his family were again at his parents' house for supper and something was obviously wrong.

“He was itching all over,” recalls Cheryl.

“He was scratching his head, arms, wrists and all over. It was just awful.” Chad first went to see a doctor in Marshall in late February, who eventually referred him to a doctor in Sioux Falls.

After tests for bile duct cancer and having two stents inserted to open his bile ducts in Sioux Falls, he was sent home.

Within a week, he was feeling ill again and returned to Sioux Falls for more tests.

When his situation didn't improve, his family suggested he make an appointment at the Mayo Clinic at the beginning of March.

“They put him through a lot of tests there,” said Cheryl.

“While at the Mayo Clinic, he agreed to donate blood for them to use for further research that might help other future patients.”

It was confirmed by Mayo Clinic specialists that Chad had bile duct cancer.

Almost immediately, he underwent a twice-a-day radiation series five days a week for three weeks, as well as a continuous chemotherapy pump that he carried with him in a pack. Chad also had his stents removed on April 17 and then had one more intense eight-hour radiation session that included a tube being inserted into his mouth.

Following the last of his chemotherapy infusions, Chad returned home on Wednesday, April 18. He had to continue a clear liquid diet on that day and then could gradually begin consuming solid food on Thursday.

Anyone not able to attend the benefit, but would like to contribute should send the donation to: Chad Nuese Benefit, 2192 County Road 10 Cottonwood, MN 56229

Checks should be written to: Chad Nuese, with “benefit” written on the memo line.