Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Students in the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District Certified Nursin Assistant class from Bessemer, Ironwood and Wakefield-Marenisco release gold balloons in memory of Cole Ruotsala, who died from adreno-cortical carcinoma on September 19, 2008, marking this the eighth anniversary of his death following a presentation by Aaron Ruotsala, Cole's father. The GCC RN students are also pictured behind the CNA students.
IRONWOOD -The Gogebic Community College Registered Nursing students, along with the Certified Nursing Assistant students from the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District, heard a presentation from Aaron Ruotsala, of Cole's Foundation, on Monday.
Ruotsala spoke to the group about his son, Cole, and his journey with adreno-cortical carcinoma from diagnosis to his passing on Sept. 19, 2008, at age 3. He also spoke about the creation of Cole's Foundation and the work that it does supporting families.
The Certified Nursing Assistant students from Ironwood, Bessemer and Wakefield-Marenisco high schools are learning basic nursing skills, along with communication and service learning within the community. At the end of the course, they will take a test to qualify as CNAs.
They are currently covering non-profit organizations. As an assignment, each student has to choose a non-profit organization and create a brochure. One of the students selected Cole's Foundation, as her project. Ruotsala spoke to a group that also included GCC's RN students.
"Cole's Foundation was created as a tribute to this little boy who fought so hard and touched so many. Recognizing the incredible needs of families struggling through the nightmare of caring for a child with a terminal illness, the organization was created to utilize the 21st century's technology to provide support and assistance to families facing the most devastating challenge that a parent could face, the illness and death of a beloved child," according to the Cole's Foundation website: colesfoundation.org.
The GCC nursing students recently learned about patient centered care and therapeutic communication in their coursework, along with the importance of having a caring attitude, according to nursing instructor Karen Balyeat.
"From Aaron, nursing students learned firsthand the positive effect nurses providing care with compassion and kindness had on Cole and his family," said Balyeat.
Following the presentation, students in the GOISD CNA class released gold balloons in Cole's memory. Gold signifies the color of childhood cancer.
