We Remember
Memories of student brings tears & joy as Myatt staff dedicate tree in her memory
By QUALA MATOCHA lifestyle@leader-news.com

The parents and brother of the late Lillian Hansen who lost her battle to cancer last year, gather with students and staff at Myatt Elementary where a saucer magnolia tree has been planted in Lillian's memory. Among the bare limbs of the tree are a few pinkpurple blooms, two of Lillian's favorite colors. A prayer and personal comments about how this young student made such an impression in other people's lives was shared among the group. Pictured are (back, l-r) Dean and Shana Hansen, Lillian's parents; teachers Amy Osina and Pat Nilson, (front, l-r) McKenzie Harfst, Rylee Vandenbergh, Grady Hansen, Lillian's 18- month-old brother; Brittney Shafer, Desarae Hughes, Edmund Weinheimer and Ryan Garcia. L-N Photo by Quala Matocha

Valentine's Day took on new meaning for family and friends who remembered a little girl who touched their lives. Staff and teachers of Myatt Elementary dedicated a saucer magnolia in memory of a student, the late Lillian Hansen, on Thursday, Feb. 14. It is planted outside Lillian's kindergarten teacher Sandra Marek's classroom window.

While Lillian Hansen lived on this earth for a short time, she will be remembered for her gentle spirit and sweet smile. She loved kittens, being outdoors, dressing up in pink frilly dance costumes and helping her dad on the farm. She was an inspiriation to many. Photo Contributed by Shana Hansen

"It was fitting that teachers and staff at Myatt Elementary plant a blooming magnolia tree in her memory. I know that she would love this tree and get such pleasure from watching it grow," Marek said.

Suffering from a rare disease, Lillian endured several complications during her short life. One of those was hearing loss.

"We found out she was deaf when she was 14 months old," her mom Shana Hansen said. "On Valentine's Day 2002 she received a cochlear implant. So Valentine's Day has been a very special anniversary."

"She was the only documented case, so treatment for her skin infections and her damaged esophagus lining was trial and error," Shana said. "At 15 months she had a feeding tube placed in her tummy because she could not swallow food because the damage in her esophagus had caused a stricture. She did very well growing and developing with the formula we fed her."

The saucer magnolia tree planted in memory of Lillian Hansen at Myatt Elementary Valentine's Day boasts these magnificent blooms in a pink-purple and white combination. L-N Photo by Quala Matocha

While Lillian was born with a genetic defect affecting her skin and causing her deafness, it was a rare form of cancer that took her life at the young age of 6.

"The cancer was also the only case they (doctors) had documented with a child," Shana said. "It was squamous cell carcinoma which was a solid tumor involving her soft and hard palate, sinuses and lymph nodes in her neck."

Lillian was diagnosed with cancer on Aug. 23, 2006, just three days before her sixth birthday.

"After chemo and radiation it had spread to her lungs and she died April 27, 2007 at 6 years, 8 months," Shana said.

While Lillian faced so many obstacles, she was determined to go to school. She enrolled at Myatt Elementary. Principal Liz Graves recalled their first visit to the campus when her mom explained that Lillian might miss a lot of school.

"Lillian loved school and loved coming to Myatt most of the time," Marek added. "She worked so very hard to be a first grader and the day she was promoted to first grade was a very special and memorable day. She looked so important in her Ricebird red cap and gown when she was presented her promotion diploma."

Lillian touched many lives at Myatt. This gathering gave several the chance to express what she meant to them. Most recalled her love of the outdoors and animals and her brilliant smile even when she wasn't feeling her best.

"We thank Shana and Dean (her father) for this precious girl they brought into our lives," teacher Pat Nilson said. "She was an inspiration and I appre- ciate being a part of her life."

"Lillian was an inspiration to me also," teacher's aide Ardis Bacak said. "I worked across the hall from Mrs. Marek's classroom and when she would come out into the hallway she would have a beautiful smile on her face."

Bacak kept toys from McDonald's Happy Meals and other trinkets in her drawer to give to Lillian on those special occasions.

"Lillian loved nature and being outside," Marek said. "She loved to run and play and just enjoyed the sunshine. She loved flowers, plants and trees. She loved puppies and kitties."

"Lillian really was a gift and no matter how bad she felt she always had a sparkle in her eyes and a beautiful smile on her face," Marek added. "I have heard that from so many people over and over. She was always happy and full of joy."

Lillian began school at Myatt with Early Childhood classes at the age of 14 months and then at the age of three she was in Pat Nilson's Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities class. She entered kindergarten and then was promoted to kindergarten. According to her mom, those early years at Myatt were important to her well-being.

"She loved going to school, especially the socializing part," Shana said. "The teachers and staff at Myatt were very, very good and kind and caring to her. She would go to Carolyn Mills, the nurse, at lunch time and get her tube feed and then she loved to go and get a strawberry milk and sit with her class until it was time to go back to class."

Lillian enjoyed dancing and helping her dad Dean, too.

"She also loved dance class," Shana said. "She was very much a princess who loved her pink sparkly things. But she didn't mind getting dirty when she went to help Daddy with farm work."

"Another very special thing to her was her kitties, which we have plenty of at our barn," Shana added. "During her last couple of weeks we had some kittens that were only a couple of weeks old and anytime she was awake she wanted to be holding one of those kittens."

The saucer magnolia with purple-pinkish flowers was donated by Greenleaf Nursery. Kelli and Wes Cook facilitated getting it to the campus. Teachers Sandra Marek and Susan Biskup organized the memorial tree planting in Lillian's memory and Biskup's husband Mark planted the tree.

"It is very special to us that her teachers are keeping her memory alive with planting such a beautiful tree," Shana said. "This (magnolia tree) will keep her memory alive. We think about her every day. It is great to know she holds a special place in others' hearts."

"I know there will be a special angel in heaven watching the pink flowers appear each year on her special tree. Lillian will always be in our hearts and just thinking about her will always bring a smile to our faces."