Kansan donates to St. Jude in memory of late husband

TOPEKA (KSNT) - A local widow has generously donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for the past four years, beginning after losing her husband to cancer. Her mission is to help St. Jude help children.

Donna Riebe of Burlington, Kansas lost her husband to cancer four years ago.

"I sat in a lot of doctor's offices, a lot of different hospitals with him, and I saw children," Riebe said. "Children, toddlers, babies and it really got to me."

Which led her to begin donating to an organization close to her heart.

"St. Jude's, they never send a bill to the parents," Riebe said. "That relieves the parents of a financial burden that they would have otherwise and lets them focus completely on their child in the fight of their lives. That has led me to want to decide that I want to donate to St. Jude to help them help these kids and the families."

Like St. Jude, Riebe also has a mission.

"When I leave this world, I want to feel like I've done some good," She said. "For me to help St. Jude help these people, that makes me feel good. That I'm doing something good, paying it forward."

It was her own experience watching her husband fight cancer that especially connected her to the cause.

"These kids are so tough, and they go through so much," Riebe said. "What I saw when I was with my husband, they were going through what my husband was going through. I know how hard it was for him and how hard it was on me. I can't imagine these kids going through that and then the parents just being terrified."

It is through donations like Donna's that St. Jude can keep families from ever seeing a bill for their child's treatment.

"Even if it's just helping them one day through treatments or helping their families to be able to stay with them and not have bills coming in. St. Jude's provides hope," Riebe said. "And sometimes that's all you have"

You can join Riebe in supporting the children of St. Jude by reserving a ticket for this year's Topeka St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway.

The dream home can be found in southwest Topeka, at 2635 SW Sherwood Park Drive in Topeka. It's being built by Drippé Homes with an estimated value of $600,000.

The home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an estimated 2,200 square feet. Free tours of the home run from July 12-28 at the following times:

• 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Fridays.
• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
• Noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

To reserve a ticket, click here.

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