DE PERE (NBC 26) — Each year, the Redbird Ribbon Walk continues to grow, bringing together more families and individuals whose lives have been touched by cancer.
- The Van Straten family kicking off the event on Sunday at De Pere High School
- Attendees walked laps around the track throughout the event
- Shirts and different cancer awareness items were available at the event
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
For Matt Van Straten, seeing the community come out to support his late mother Jayma Van Straten, who was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer in 2019 was a heartwarming experience.
"I can't even put into words how it makes me feel," Van Straten said.
Jayma attended the first Redbird Ribbon Walk in 2022. An event her husband, Dan Van Straten, started in partnership with the De Pere High School Sting Cancer Club to support families facing cancer, before passing away later that year.
"How proud I am to be a part of this, and that everyone's doing this in honor of my mom and everyone else fighting and battling or who has lost to cancer," Matt Van Straten said.
His dad, Dan Van Straten, says the walk, named in Jayma's memory, not only honors her but also serves as a reminder of how deeply she impacted those around her.
"It's just a testament to this community and the strength and the love that everyone has for one another," Dan Van Straten said.
He says that in past years, the walk has raised between $5,000 and $10,000 for the De Pere Sting Cancer Club.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson showed his support at Sunday’s event, noting that with cancer impacting so many families including his own, events like the Redbird Ribbon Walk highlight the powerful strength within communities.
"It's just inspirational to know that someone has dealt with something so tragic in terms of losing a loved one to cancer, and they're still able to come out and do something like this," Watson said.
For the Van Straten family and many others in attendance, the Redbird Ribbon Walk is more than just an annual event. It’s a way to honor those in the past, support each other in the present and walk with hope toward a future of kicking cancer to the curb.
