Tea community rallies for Natalie- August 23 fundraiser to aid local toddler’s cancer fight

The Tea community will have an opportunity to rally around two-year-old Natalie Hostetler and her family while helping to raise funds for medical costs during a sand volleyball tournament on Saturday, August 23 at Squealer’s Smoke Shack.

Tea native Shane Hostetler and wife Keena of Laurel, Nebraska were married in Tea at the Trinity Lutheran Church in 2017 and have been raising daughters Olivia and Natalie, alongside their husky, Stella in Tea ever since. Keena works as a legal assistant for Cutler Law Firm and Shane works for NuAge Builders. The family enjoys all things outdoors as their young daughters explore the world for the first time. 

“In the summertime, you will find us out in our yard playing in the sprinkler, walking our babies around the block, riding toys, and grilling in our driveway or swinging from the tree in our yard,” Keena Hostetler said.

When Natalie was 22 months old, Keena noticed bruising on her daughter’s legs and began to worry. 

“Natalie started having significant bruising on her leg and every day it kept getting worse and worse. She began sleeping a lot, which prompted us to bring her in and get a diagnosis,” she said.

The diagnosis came back as cancer, T-Cell Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, to be exact. 

“I felt like life left my body as I crumbled to the floor when our doctor came through the door crying that day. She couldn’t even mutter the words she was so sad,” Keena said.

One person in that room was standing strong, and it was Natalie. 

“Natalie kept patting me on my leg asking me if I was okay while I just sat there and cried. She genuinely is so kind and cares for others more than she does herself,” she said.

To Keena’s surprise, Natalie has been the one to stay strong throughout the entire process so far. 

“From her first diagnosis she began checking on all of us to make sure we were okay — she never stopped. When we had her first stay in the hospital a group of us were praying and I started crying. She let go of my hand and started wiping my tears and after she started patting my aunt’s hand to reassure us we were all okay and that she was there for us,” Keena said.

Keena described T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) as a type of blood cancer characterized by the overproduction of immature T-cells (lymphoblasts) in the bone marrow and blood. 

“It is an aggressive cancer that can spread to other parts of the body. While it’s more common in children, it can also affect adults and is more likely to affect males. It is treated by intense chemotherapy over a three-year period,” she said.

Treatments for T-ALL have continued for the past few months, and the Hostetler’s are thankful for the local hospitals being able to care for their daughter. 

“We are so blessed to be able to receive care at the Sanford Children’s Hospital. We are there almost every day. We have an amazing pediatric hematology and oncology team supporting us and doing the very best they can for our sweet Natalie,” Keena said.

Now two, Natalie is growing into her personality, and her family is overjoyed with who she is choosing to be. 

“She loves her babies, blankies, pretending to go to school like her big sister, and anything with Elsa on it. Since her diagnosis, she has become obsessed with French fries and loves to do puzzles and read books to exercise her brain. She is the sweetest kid that prays all the time, we often catch her praying with her babies or puppy,” Keena said.

To help raise funds for medical costs, a volleyball tournament and bean bag tournament will be held Saturday, August 23 at Squealer’s Smoke Shack beginning at 10 a.m. A silent auction will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and a 50/50 raffle will take place during the day as well as a blackout board. 

“When we knew we wanted to have a fundraiser, we knew it needed to be at Squealer’s Smoke Shack as their boom boom shrimp and Wisconsin cheese curds are two of Natalie’s favorite foods,” she said.

Volleyball teams and beanbag teams are needed as well as support from the community by showing up and participating. Teams can register by contacting Squealer’s Smoke Shack. 

“Even if you only have a smile to give, we’d love for Natalie to see it and for everyone to stop down and support her as much as she has supported us,” Kenna said.