Support The Rasches Through Cancer Treatment

Our names are Katherine and Kelly, and we created this GoFundMe on behalf of our beloved friend, Sarah Rasche, her husband August, and their 2 children, Ada (age 7) and Emerson (age 3). On March 16, 2023, Sarah was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer called HER2+ (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2). This GoFundMe is to help raise money for her treatment and cover costs while she is unable to work for the foreseeable future.

Sarah and August Rasche

Sarah Rasche is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of person. She has an enormous heart and is generous with her time, love, support, and resources. Sarah is humble beyond measure and gives to others with zero expectations of anything in return. She has that unique ability to make you feel at home in her presence. These traits are also why she’s a skilled therapist, forensic social worker, social justice advocate, loyal friend, and devoted parent. Within the first 30 minutes of meeting Sarah Rasche, she connected Kelly and Katherine with their dream jobs and all three are forensic social workers. Sarah also connected Katherine to a dream childcare provider that took care of her firstborn for the first 3 ½ years of his life. When Katherine was in the St. Joseph's Hospital NICU with her 2nd child, the medical and social work team lit up when they found out that Sarah, who spent years working there, was her friend. Kelly and Sarah met through their husbands who are both Westminster Firefighters and the two became fast friends. When Kelly and her husband were new to the department, Sarah welcomed them with open arms. Sarah’s one of those people you feel like you’ve known forever, and you can’t imagine your life before them. Katherine learned about August after a friend told her about the Westminster Firefighters and Paramedics saving a coworker's life at work the previous week. Her friend showed her a photo of the firefighters who helped her and, sure enough, there was August’s face. Anyone who knows the Rasche family has similar experiences of them and equally miraculous stories about them. The Rasches make us all feel at ease in our own skin and celebrate us for our differences and similarities. They are the living, walking example for what it means to “show up” for their children, their communities, and their families. They walk kindly and gently through the world and humbly save our lives in every context possible and nearly every single day. It’s in their DNA. We are all better people because we know the Rasche Family.

Sarah's Cancer Diagnosis

On March 16, 2023, Sarah was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer called HER2+ (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2). HER2+ can cause cancer cells to grow and spread more quickly. Sarah's current diagnosis is "Stage 3C" which means the cancer in her breast may have spread to the skin of the breast or chest wall and cancer is found in 10 or more lymph nodes in the surrounding area. Sarah is currently waiting for additional test results to determine if the cancer has metastasized which would change her diagnosis to Stage 4. On April 17, she began an intensive treatment regimen. Every three weeks, for 18 weeks, Sarah spends an entire day at UC Health – Cherry Creek oncology clinic for infusions of a four-drug protocol known as TCHP. T /C are the chemo drugs and H/P are immune therapy drugs given to bolster her immune system. Sarah’s specific chemo drug can potentially cause permanent hair loss. To minimize this, Sarah wears a “cold cap” during the treatments. The freezing temperature causes the blood vessels in the scalp to constrict, literally icing her scalp, and thereby reducing the chemo drugs’ access to the hair follicles. In addition, she wears cold-pack gloves and booties on her hands and feet to minimize potential neuropathy from chemo. For about 10 days after each treatment, Sarah experiences severe side effects including intense nausea, vomiting, swelling, and migraines. Her loss of appetite makes it difficult to stay nourished and maintain energy levels. Sarah is currently recovering from having a double mastectomy on August 22. Beginning Sept. 27, Sarah will start six weeks of daily radiation while simultaneously enduring fourteen rounds of Kadcyla (a cytotoxic that is basically chemo). With Sarah’s specific type of cancer, it is possible that infusions will be part of her life forever. Sarah's rigorous treatment has made it impossible to work and she will be unable to do so for the foreseeable future while she focuses on her health. She is self-employed, running both her own therapy practice and doing contract forensic social work which is a significant loss of income for the Rasche family.

Purpose of Funds

We are raising funds to help ease the financial burden of the cost of treatment and Sarah being unable to work. These funds will be used to help cover medical bills, ancillary treatments, and anything else the Rasches need so that Sarah can rest and recover from the debilitating side effects of treatment. As evidenced by both their chosen professions, not to mention their radiant personalities, both Sarah and August are the essence of generosity and selflessness. The idea of a financial donation page has been difficult for them to consider. While Sarah handles the extreme treatment process with grace, in an effort to support her continued healing, we want to help ease the financial and emotional cost of this diagnosis. We would love for you to give what you can, spread the word, and show up for the Rasches the way they have for all of us.

Thank you for your support of this beautiful family.

With love,

K&K