Maranda Freng is a single mother with two sons who is both a full-time student at Viterbo University and owner of a photography business.

She had no time to get sick.

But the 29-year-old mother of 9-year-old Trystan and 7-year-old Connor has been sick since the first of the year.

Freng made three trips to the emergency room in early April, but nothing was found wrong with her. On her last trip, made in a taxi from Holmen, blood work revealed something doctors had not seen before - leukemia, said Pat Freng, Maranda's mother.

"It's very difficult - she's our baby," Pat said. Maranda was diagnosed with a rapidly progressing leukemia (acute myelogenous leukemia), and Pat said it probably grew in four to six weeks.

"When people get cancer, you hear that they have cancer and you have time to absorb it," Pat said. "We found out she had cancer and the next day she was on a respirator. There was no time to absorb it. They were calling in her whole family saying 'you have to be here.' That was within 24 hours."

Everybody's sorry to hear Maranda's situation, said Pat, but it's good to hear that there are so many people concerned. Pat said Maranda's church has been wonderful. They put Maranda in the circle of prayer and Pat said she believes it is the only thing that got Maranda through.

"I know it is," Pat said. "It's the only reason she survived the first 24 hours."

Besides the prayers, the Point of Grace Community Church has joined forces with Maranda's family and friends to organize a fund-raiser on Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Holmen Legion.

At the fund-raiser, there will be food and music, several raffles (wingspan, meat and homemade quilt) a bake sale, silent auction and a Texas Hold 'em tournament. The family is looking for donations of items for the silent auction and wingspan raffles.

Also, a golf tournament is scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 17 with a 7 a.m. start. The location is yet to be determined.

Proceeds of this fund-raiser will cover expenses for everyday life and support of Maranda's two children, said Pat. The leukemia left Maranda disabled and so far unable to work. She is limited on what she can do for her daily activities.

Maranda finished her last chemotherapy and her doctors told her she has a 50 percent chance of survival. And although Maranda said the doctors told her to live like she's healed, she said it's hard to do.

"It's a lot of worries," she said.

Back in school at Viterbo, Maranda will be a junior next year and has hopes to graduate in two-and-a-half years. She said her plans are to continue her photography around her teaching art, with hopes to eventually become an art director.

But before that happens, Maranda still has a long struggle ahead of her. She will continue to have her bone marrow tested for the cancer and have blood and platelet transfusions.

In case the cancer is still there, appointments for Maranda have been set in Madison at the transfusion clinic and her brother and sisters are being tested for compatibility for marrow donations.

Pat and Maranda hope that doesn't happen, but are prepared for that next step if needed.