WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — An event honoring the life of a Wausau woman who lost her battle with brain cancer will be held for the first time on Wednesday.
The “Go Fly a Kite Cancer” event will be held at Willow Springs Garden to honor the life and legacy of Deb Robinson-Stolzman. Robinson passed away in mid-July following a two month battle with glioblastoma, a very aggressive form of brain cancer.
The event will also mark the kickoff of the 2 Hearts for Deb Robinson Foundation. Robinson’s husband, Brian Stolzman says the kite flying event on Wednesday afternoon is about raising awareness to fight all types of cancer.
“We’re going to give people an opportunity to come and fly a kite at Willow Springs. The owners, Peg and Dennis, have offered the location because Dennis himself has cancer. We want this to be about cancer across the board. It’s kind of a kickoff for Deb’s charity foundation.”
The idea of holding a kite festival to honor Robinson came following a conversation between the couple one evening after Robinson’s diagnosis. Stolzman said they wanted to try an event outside of the ordinary from the usual golf outings and walks.
“Deb and I were sitting and having a drink just talking about things that we would like to do to memorialize her. So people don’t forget and to help people going through this kind of stuff.
“So what about a kite festival. It was something that just seems spiritual. Something that you could hang onto Mother Nature and it kind of guides you through the course of flying a kite.”
As the event is serving as a kickoff for the 2 Hears for Deb Robinson Foundation charity, Stolzman explains the foundation is hoping to focus on education and being a resource for those who have been diagnosed with severe and aggressive forms of cancer.
“We wanted to be somewhat educational. We wanted to be when someone gets a diagnosis like that [glioblastoma], where do we go now. There are so many things you don’t think about that happens, you lose your job. You actually get fired and that’s devastating.
“So we’ve been through that and as a resource to help people going through that process. How do you pay for stuff? How do you apply for aid to help you with this? How do you go through the insurance? Emotionally, how do you deal with such a terrible diagnosis? We want that to be a main focus as well.”
Stolzman envisions the event becoming a yearly tradition to honor those affected by cancer. He hopes that one day the festival would become big enough to bring in professional kite flyers.
The Go Fly a Kite for Cancer event will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. at Willow Springs Garden in Wausau. Following the kite flying portion of the event, there will be a traditional fish broil or baked chicken dinner along with live music and a bonfire. Tickets at the door are $12.50 for adults while kids eat for free.
