A Double Blow That No Young Family Can Withstand

Within the space of 12 months the Rasmussen family have been dealt 2 hardships that wouldn’t seem possible in a just world.

Pete and Kirsten are the loving parents of 3 children, Will 6, Tommy 4 and Estelle 1. Pete is a Primary School Teacher, and Kirsten is an Early Childhood educator.

In August 2020 Kirsten was diagnosed with stage 2, grade 3 breast cancer which sent their family life into turmoil. Kirsten has battled this diagnosis with all her strength, enduring an 11 hour surgery for the removal of approximately 10 tumours, a mastectomy, breast reconstruction, multiple rounds of chemotherapy involving hospitalisation, and then a difficult dose of radiation therapy. Currently Kirsten’s outlook is positive, however she still needs to undergo several surgeries and is many months away from a return to work, with much mental and physical recovery to come also.

Immediately following the completion of Kirsten’s radiation therapy in June, the unthinkable happened. Pete, who has been stoic in his response to the challenges faced by his wife’s diagnosis, and long term prognosis, was urgently rushed to hospital following seizure events and an MRI diagnosed him with a stage 2 Astrocytoma cancerous brain tumour. The tumour is inoperable and at this stage, 35 years old, Pete has been given approximately 7-10 years to live.

Kirsten, Pete and their family now face great uncertainty and need our help to navigate the coming months and years ahead. Any donation will allow the family to recover at home, contribute to their medical bills and allow the children to continue to grow without the certainty of their parents’ financial income.

Kirsten has been an early childhood educator for over 10 years at The Friends’ School, caring for the development of hundreds of children. Her nurturing care and dedication has been recognised by her peers and her contribution to her work and friendship community is immense. Pete is also a pillar of the Hobart community, a teacher at St Virgil’s College Junior School, a Life Member of the North Hobart Cricket Club, and his sense of humour and dedication to his family and friends is without question. Together they are valuable, active members of the Old Beach community where they have lived for the past 6 years, and a couple of more than 15 years.

We ask for your generous support in their time of need. Your contribution will allow them the financial freedom to heal and prepare for the future of their family without their father.

Please feel free to share their story with your family and friends and ask them to make even the most modest contribution to the campaign. All donations will greatly help Pete and Kirsten and their children during this difficult time. As Pete himself has said, one of the most challenging parts of this story is that they have had is to tell their young children that a second of their parents is about to undergo an unbeatable cancer journey.

Kirsten and Pete also wish to explicitly thank the many family and friends who have already assisted them in some way already.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.