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Patty Fitzpatrick, Community Services Coordinator at Sacred-Heart St. Mary's Hospitals, accepted a donation of artwork from “Team Julie,” an American Cancer Society Relay for Life team, on behalf of the hospital.

The relay team was inspired by the late Julie Treml who worked as a dental assistant at the Forest County Potawatomi Health & Wellness Center. According to her co-workers, when Treml fell from a ladder at home, what seemed like a minor mishap turned into some serious health problems. After a year of tests, Treml was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and immunoglobulin deficiency which led to weekly and monthly IV treatments. In the fall of 2005, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and endured numerous operations and chemo treatments.

While Treml initially continued to work, eventually the cancer spread and she was unable to. Her co-workers set up a meal schedule to bring Julie and her family a complete meal three days a week. It wasn't long before the Potawatomi employees heard of Treml's plight and joined in the effort to help. Employees donated their vacation time, gas cards, prescription co-pays and money, as well as their prayers, cards and kind words.

Treml, touched by the support she'd received, wanted to give back to those who had helped her. So she made bracelets out of beads called “Miracle Beads.” She made different colors to represent the different cancers and a sterling silver ribbon to honor all cancers.

The colors of the bracelets included pink for breast cancer, teal for ovarian cancer, pearl for lung cancer, purple for pancreatic cancer, orange for leukemia, black for melanoma, dark blue for colon cancer and Kelly green for kidney cancer. She also used burgundy for multiple myleoma, gray for brain cancer, blue for prostate cancer, gold for childhood cancers, lavender for general cancer awareness, lime for lymphoma, peach for uterine cancer and teal and white for cervical cancer.

Treml sold the different colored bracelets and donated the profits to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. “Team Julie” was formed shortly after. Members included Treml's friends, family and co-workers.

Before long, Treml was overwhelmed by the number of orders. Unable to keep up with the demand, “Team Julie” started beading with her. Treml sold the bracelets from her hospital bed until she lost her battle with cancer at the age of 40 on June 15, 2006.

In July of 2006, “Team Julie” donated $12,079.50 to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and to date, more than 16,530 bracelets have been sold, of which more than 14,000 were sold this year.

“We always thought the orders would slow down, but they haven't,” said one of Treml's former co-workers. “I get calls about them every day.”

Team captains, Pam Wojnowski and Darla Grant said that the number of bracelet orders is more than they can handle so they have enlisted the help of some of the elderly residents in the area to help them make the bracelets.

“We made bracelets during our lunch breaks,” said Wojnowski, “but it became bigger than we could handle. So we got some help from some of the elderly in the area.”

Inspired by Treml's story, local artist Betsy Popp created a watercolor print of a dove holding a bracelet in Treml's honor. She donated the print, called “Seeking Comfort,” to “Team Julie” and plans are being made to use the print for next year's Relay for Life fundraiser, along with the bracelets.

One copy of the print was donated to the Sacred Heart-Saint Mary's Hospital in Rhinelander. The print will hang on the third floor in the acute care area, according to Fitzpatrick who accepted the donation.

Fitzpatrick thanked “Team Julie” for their donation and said that she was sure that both the staff and patients at the hospital would enjoy the painting.

The “Seeking Comfort” print was also made into blank notecards which are sold in packages of six for $10. The print can also be purchased on the Forest County Potawatomi Website at www.fcpotawatomi.com.

Bracelets are sold for $6 and are available in a variety of sizes. They can be purchased at area businesses in Crandon, by visiting the Forest County Potawatomi Website or calling “Team Julie” at (715) 478-4313.

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