Multi-state Fundraiser has Elko Roots

Family. They don’t have to live next door for you to still be close. That was made very apparent to one Elko area family this summer when their granddaughter/niece/cousin was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. Shelby Densley is the daughter of Samantha Schwandt Anderson. Samantha, a graduate from Elko High class of 1984, is the daughter of Tom and Patsy Tomera of Carlin and sister to Sabrina Reed. Shelby was raised on the 4 Open A farm in Twin Falls, Idaho. 

When the phone call came about her daughters test results Samantha said it was a roller coaster of emotions. Her eldest daughter, Sierra, had just called to tell her she passed her nursing exam with flying colors! Elation! The very next ring was from Shelby telling her they needed to get the family together and that she had serious news about a biopsy result. Panic! At age 28, she has been diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer that is only three months old and has already spread into her lymph nodes. 

When her family in Nevada got the news it was a very upsetting. She is the bubbly ray of sunshine in everyone’s life. Shelby’s little cousins decided to plan a fundraiser to help her and her husband, Skylar, to pay for expenses. The young couple were high school sweethearts. Together eleven years and married four years this fall. Skylar manages a Sherman Williams paint store and Shelby is a middle school science teacher. Serving as ushers at their wedding the cousins became closer to the couple even though they live hours away. The sons of John and Sabrina Reed: George, Julian, and Hugh Reed wanted to donate their market animal projects to the fundraiser. 

The fundraiser raffle: A home grown, grain finished, antibiotic and hormone-free steer and lamb will be cut and wrapped for the winners. They can purchase either beef or lamb entries for $10 an entry. So one winner will be for beef and the other the lamb. The event has spread like wildfire! Entries have been sold in Washington, Idaho, Utah, and Nevada and in two different countries!! The names will be entered into a random online draw generator. Entries are being sold locally by Sabrina Reed (775) 934-4470 or at JM Capriola Company. Venmo is available for payment as well. 

Shelby has begun treatment at Huntman’s Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. She will be undergoing an intensive eighteen week stent of chemo and surgery. Even though she will be well into treatments in September, she still plans on being in her sister’s wedding. Always the funny optimist she is looking forward to wig shopping! 

The Anderson, Densley, Reed and Tomera family would like to thank all those in the community that have donated already! It just proves that Elko county is a great and giving “family”.