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Friday, January 29, 2021
As reported by The Gazette, Anna Marie Lux
Photo courtesy of The Gazette, submitted by Mary Vukovich and Dave Schansberg
Lora Ann Schansberg struggled with a rare and deadly blood cancer at the end of May and had trouble walking.
Still, she insisted on going to a Janesville rally to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Her father, Dave Schansberg, said he would drive her, but Lora insisted on driving alone. She stayed in her car to protect herself from COVID-19 while lending support to social justice. “Lora was never going to be quiet about something that wasn’t right,” her mother, Mary Vukovich, said. “What she did was remarkable. But if you knew her, you would know it was something she would do because it meant so much to her.”
Lora died New Year’s Eve at age 29 after a 12-year battle with cancer. But her empathy for others and her commitment to equality remained firm through her final days. Lora’s passion to make her community a better place might be one reason why so many have donated so generously.
The Schansberg and Vukovich families began a fundraiser for Agrace Hospice & Palliative Care in Lora’s name in mid-January. Earlier this week, the Lora Schansberg Memorial Fund had already surpassed $16,000 and will continue through Feb. 15.
“In all her young life, Lora put people first before herself,” Dave said. “We were so taken by the exceptional care and compassion from the staff at Agrace that we wanted to give back.”
Agrace is a nonprofit health care organization with four centers in southcentral Wisconsin, including Janesville.
Lora spent the last two months of her life at Agrace in Janesville, which will receive the memorial funds for nursing education programs and the inpatient unit. “We want to keep the money local,” Dave said. More than 300 people, including relatives, friends and former teammates of Lora, have donated so far. “Lora’s whole family has been overwhelmed with the incredible support of the Janesville community,” Dave said. “We are so happy to try and give back.”
Lisa Dahlgren, development manager for Agrace, called the fundraiser remarkable. “It is just a testament to how much Lora touched other people,” she said. “It is also a testament to how much the family has made an impact in our community. We feel very honored to be the recipient of this memorial.”
In spite of missing a lot of classes because of her illness, Lora graduated from Craig High School in 2010. She belonged to the National Honor Society and was cited by her classmates as having the best laugh.
“If Lora got going with laughter, everyone would join in because it was contagious,” Dave said. “She had such a good sense of humor.”
After graduation, Lora studied nursing at UW-Eau Claire. She wanted to help oncology patients, especially young ones, because she was diagnosed at 17.
Lora was very active in soccer in Janesville, where she played and coached the sport. The Rock Soccer Club even set up a sportsmanship award in her name.
When she needed solitude, Lora often found respite at the family’s remote cabin in Forest County. “She loved nothing better than to sit in our screen porch and listen to all the sounds,” Dave said. “This is a kid who is big in technology. She turned it all off to enjoy the beauty of nature.”
Lora spent much of the first six months of 2020 in hospitals. “In August, we were told there wasn’t much more they could do treatment-wise,” Dave said. “They suggested hospice, and we began with home hospice.”
Lora’s mother and family provided tireless loving and comfortable care at home. But on Nov. 1, Lora was admitted to Agrace’s inpatient facility in Janesville because her needs, including pain management, could no longer be met at home. “We thought it would be for a couple of days and then she would come home,” Dave said. “But things declined fast.”
Mary Vukovich lived with Lora at Agrace and often slept on a cot next to her bed.
“All she had to do was open her eyes, and she could see me,” Mary said.
Lora liked the room cold, and Mary joked that she was going to get pneumonia from the chill. But the staff provided Mary with a heated blanket and often covered her with it in the night.
“I can’t put into words what being at Agrace meant to me,” Mary said. “Everyone—all the way from the nurses to the equally loving and caring housekeeper—did everything with extreme love and compassion.”
Lora and Mary spent countless hours listening to music, playing games, watching TV and talking.
“It took me a long time to be able to talk to Lora about dying, but she taught me how to do it,” Mary said. “She taught me how to be brave and to be able to do that because I loved her so much.”
Mary thanked the Agrace staff for guiding her and Lora through difficult conversations. “They did everything they could to support us,” Mary said.
Lora’s brother and three sisters were among family members attending several gatherings, including birthday parties, Thanksgiving and Christmas with Lora at Agrace. At Christmas, Lora’s disease made it increasingly difficult for her to join in as loved ones gathered around her bed in song.
“But she kept trying,” Mary said. “She was always into music and was a beautiful singer.”
At the end, Lora died peacefully in the arms of her parents and siblings. Lora’s family thanks Agrace for its end-of-life care, and Dave called finding Agrace “a true godsend.”
“The focus at hospice is on comfort,” Dave said. “Not just for the patient but the family. When you have had as much experience in hospitals as we have had over the years with Lora, we are good authorities on compassionate care. These people at Agrace were incredibly compassionate.”
He said Janesville needs Agrace to help families through their darkest hours. “I don’t want anyone to ever have to use their services,” Dave said, “but if they do, they are there.”
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