Kevin McColley Needs Our Help

Kevin McColley, Ankeny's beloved elementary and middle school art teacher, needs our help. In 2020, he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. The last few years have been incredibly difficult for him and his family, as the disease has impacted his brain function, energy, and overall health. He has exhausted all of his treatment possibilities with little to no success.

 

While Mr. McColley managed to teach art at Prairie Ridge for much of this time, it's become difficult due to his deteriorating health. He experiences varying degrees of heavy fatigue, heart pain, hot flashes, fevers, brain fog, constant chills, and flu-like symptoms. In addition, he has vision problems and severe vertigo. Unfortunately, his situation has made it impossible to work any longer. As of May 2, he will be on medical leave.

 

There is hope, though, on the horizon. On May 19, Mr. McColley will begin a promising Lyme disease treatment at LifeWorks in Clearwater, Florida. The program will require 6-8 weeks of intensive, on-site treatment. Unfortunately, none of these costs are covered by insurance. This GoFundMe will help cover the costs of the treatment. 

As you likely know, Mr. McColley had a tremendous impact on students who attended Northwest Elementary, Northeast Elementary, Parkview and Prairie Ridge Middle Schools. He had an infectious, silly and fun attitude, and his enthusiasm for art was passed on to his students.  He created a lively art room where every surface was literally covered with artwork (even the ceilings and the trash cans)! He went above and beyond with his after-school programs, summer art camps, art displays, and annual art shows.

If you have a child who is an Ankeny graduate, and you spend any amount of time going through their old school memorabilia, you are sure to find a treasure trove of items that will bring back memories of art class and Mr. McColley: "Artist of the Month" certificates, items from the pottery wheel, and who can forget the fifth grade silhouette project? He also spent hours outside of the classroom organizing, laminating and photographing our kids' artwork, and contributing in countless other ways to the school and its students. This fundraiser is a way to give back to Mr. McColley, show him how much we love him and appreciate the time and talent he shared with our kids. 

By donating to this fundraiser, you will give Mr. McColley hope for recovery from this debilitating and bewildering disease, while also relieving him from the financial burden of a crushing medical debt. Any amount helps. Thank you for helping this cause!

P.S. Enjoy this video Mr. McColley recently made for Memories in the Morning, an event held for 2022 graduates who attended Northeast Elementary.