Hartford, WI – Wednesday afternoon, City of Hartford staff had a Taco Luncheon Fund Raiser for the sole purpose of helping one of their own. Kinsley Ann Wenzel is the two-year-old daughter of Kyle and Holly Wenzel who both work for the City of Hartford. Kyle is a Captain with the Hartford Fire and Rescue Department and Holly is the Utility Billing Specialist in the Hartford Finance Department.
Early Wednesday morning, Kinsley was at Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee undergoing a life-saving operation to remove as much of a tumor from her right chest cavity as was possible. The hope was to remove the majority which would allow her to have chemo knock out the rest.
Kinsley’s story started October 20, 2024, when she was first taken to Aurora Urgent Care in Hartford with what the parents thought was croup and a left ear infection. That escalated to an x-ray and diagnosis of Neuroblastoma.
Since that time, Kinsley has been receiving chemotherapy at Children’s Hospital with the hope of shrinking the tumor to the point that surgery was possible early Wednesday morning.
Prior to Wednesday’s luncheon, the staff of the City of Hartford had done several different fundraisers, helping raise $4000 for the family. Wednesday’s Taco lunch raised an additional $1,576. Those funds are all used to offset some of the family’s costs and the loss of income while Holly attends to Kinsley’s needs.
Unfortunately, this is not the first battle with cancer this family has had as dad Kyle, as a child, was likewise diagnosed with cancer at the age of five which he survived thanks in part to the huge support he and his family received from the community of Hartford and beyond.
Leah Dedrich, the staff organizer of this luncheon, said the response was overwhelming, “It was great to see so many staff attend today and those that couldn’t attend just sent us money. This is our family and when one (or two) of us go through this incredible issue, we all go through it.”
Wednesday afternoon, staff were updated on the progress of the long surgery for two-year-old Kinsley. Doctors felt she did great, and they were able to remove more of the tumor than they originally felt was possible.
Kinsley was transferred to a surgical in-patient room by mid-afternoon.
For more information on Kinsley’s fight to beat cancer, you can read her story on Caringbridge
You can also scan the QR code to donate directly to the Wenzel Family and join the Hartford staff in caring for one of its own.
If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Steve Volkert at 262-673-8204 or email at svolkert@hartford.wi.gov