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Come light a lantern and give back

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By Correne Martin

 

The second annual Rally on the River Volleyball Tournament and Lighted Lantern Launch are this weekend, July 16 and 17, near the Jaycees Shelter on Prairie du Chien’s St. Feriole Island. 

For anyone who has lost a loved one or wishes to send up a lantern in honor of someone special, this is the perfect opportunity. The launch will take place at dusk, around 9 p.m.

Organizer Josh Smelzer himself introduced the event to the community with his beloved aunt Amy in mind. 

“She passed from cancer. I felt blessed to have her as family,” said the Prairie du Chien High School volleyball coach. “One of her favorite things was Chinese lanterns. When the idea for this event came along, I wanted to make something happen in her memory, and for the community, that would be a good way for people to honor somebody who has made an impact on their lives.”

Each year, the proceeds from the Lighted Lantern Launch are given to a person or family of the Hawks volleyball program’s choosing. Last year, Tammy Nolan was the beneficiary.

To purchase a Chinese lantern, which you may then launch on Saturday night, find the Rally on the River Facebook page and click the link to the appropriate form. The lantern launch is open to the whole community. 

This year, the funds will be given to the family of Kayla Mezera, who passed away in March from lung cancer. Kayla had worked in the Prairie school district for 42 years, mostly in special education.

According to Smelzer, the Mezera family plans to use the proceeds to give back to the community in the form of radon awareness, radon test kits and radon mitigation. 

Kayla’s husband, Mike, said that doctors felt she had radon lungs, which caused her lung cancer. She was only diagnosed in October 2021, six months prior.

Her daughter, Kelsey Huber, further explained Kaylas situation: 

“My mother was in very good general health, even at the age of 64. She was very active, stronger than most women half her age. She exercised daily, consumed a healthy diet and tried to use all natural products. My mom never slowed down,” she said.

In addition to working full-time at the school, Kayla took great care of her family, was involved in the community, was previously the secretary for their family business (Mezera Heating) and was the guardian and caretaker for her sister, according to Kelsey. 

Then, the first week of the 2021-22 school year, Kayla’s shoulder was injured when a student pushed her up against a wall, Kelsey said. She eventually saw her physician, who suggested an x-ray to check it out. The x-ray confirmed it wasn’t broken but showed something of concern in her lungs. Following a full chest x-ray, both of her lungs showed abnormalities and Kayla was sent for further testing. 

“In October, after tests and biopsies, it was confirmed that mom had stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized to her liver, spine, shoulder, ribs, etc. Mom’s labs were all normal, she did not have any signs of respiratory issues and she had never smoked in her life,” Kelsey shared.

Kayla’s lung images were sent on to a radiologist, who determined she had radon lungs. He mentioned that radon poisoning does not respond well to traditional chemo and radiation. So, she took his advice and sought treatment in Tijuana, Mexico.

“Ultimately, you cannot detox your body of radon,” Kelsey stated. “Mom did everything she could and fought so gracefully.”

Kayla passed away March 23.

Even before the radiologist identified the cause of Kayla’s cancer, Mike had started wondering whether radon might have played a role.

“I was in the HVAC business,” Mike said. 

He described radon as an odorless, colorless gas that is given off by the earth. The gas becomes dangerous when it is emitted and enters a confined space such as a house through the basement floor. Certain regions of the U.S. with a lot of limestone—southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa in particular—tend to have higher radon levels.

Kelsey and her husband had purchased a digital radon meter in 2016 before moving into their newly constructed home. Once they installed a mitigation system, they passed their meter on to family and friends. 

“Mom’s childhood home and her current home both had safe levels of radon,” Kelsey noted. 

So Kayla took her daughter’s digital radon meter to the house where she worked on the high school property. The reading came back showing radon levels that were “very high, like three times the upper limit,” Kelsey said. 

While the school district immediately evacuated, assessed and installed mitigation systems in that house, as well as the two other neighboring houses the district owns, those efforts could not cure Kayla’s cancer.

“Unfortunately, this entire situation could have and should have been prevented,” Kelsey said. “Mom knew it wasn’t fair, we knew it wasn’t fair, but we have to push on, for her. I struggle daily to find the good in this. I think the only good that I can come up with is giving back to the community in mom’s honor.”

Mike said he couldn’t agree more. “We’re not the first, nor the last, to find out her cancer was caused by something that could have been tested for. Every house that is sold should have a radon test done, and all other houses should have tests too.”

According to his knowledge, Mike said there are various qualities of radon testing meters and he feels it’s important that the most accurate meters are used.

Kelsey said radon levels in homes can change and encouraged that repeat testing be performed.

“Sometimes, foundations settle and cracks in the concrete become larger, allowing more gases to be emitted into homes,” she noted. “Also, the foundation ever so slightly changes with the weather, so readings could differ from summer to winter. 

Because the topic of radon isn’t something people hear about often, Mike said, “We’d like to get a stronger word out there.”

Though they don’t have details ironed out yet, the Mezeras would like to purchase some digital radon meters that could be checked out by community members from the library, health department or Mezera Heating, for example. “We also hope to raise radon awareness and provide help for families that need mitigation but cannot fully afford it,” Kelsey said. 

Since hearing about Kayla’s story, numerous homes in the neighborhood near the high school have been tested by homeowners and mitigation systems installed. 

“Brad Kleven also did something pretty sweet,” she added. “He took over mom and dad’s business and just went through the certification to test for radon and install the mitigation systems.”

Still being able to honor Kayla is the light at the end of a very dark tunnel for Mike, Kelsey and her brothers Nathan and Craig.

“I think she would be overjoyed to know that she is making a difference in the community,” Kelsey concluded. “Mom did everything she could to help others during her time on Earth and, unfortunately, she had to go through something awful to stir up awareness and give back to the community in a different way.”

Whether it’s to join in these efforts to raise awareness, or to observe a quiet moment in honor of your loved one, all are invited to St. Feriole Island for the Lighted Lantern Launch Saturday night. 

Last year, Smelzer said he gave a little speech at the beginning of the launch and then everyone just stood there taking it all in.

He described the atmosphere: “Just watching the lanterns, everybody is able to take part in that wonderful, awesome moment.”

To get an adult volleyball team into the Saturday tournament on the island or a high school girls team into the Sunday tournament at the school, go to the Rally on the River Facebook page and click the correct link to register. Teams from all areas are welcome. 

There will be full concessions both days of the event and other kids activities on site. 

“We’ve really been supported by a lot of area businesses. Our goal is to simply raise awareness for the sport of volleyball ,” Smelzer added. Proceeds from the tournaments will help make volleyball camp fees affordable for local players and bring the sport to girls as young as age 11.

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