Minn. Mom Ends Cancer Treatment To Be Home With Boys
COON RAPIDS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Difficult situations require difficult decisions.
Lynn Acker is a 37-year-old wife and mother of three sons in Coon Rapids. She's been fighting cancer for seven years.
This winter, she made one of life's toughest decisions.
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On a typical day at the hockey rink, dad coaches, and 11-year-old Josh plays.
His biggest fan is in the stands.
"She's normally tired," Josh said. "But if she comes, it really gets me energized."
Acker has only recently returned from the Mayo Clinic, and she's not going back. That's because she told her doctors she doesn't want to keep taking medication to stay alive.
"I'm done," she said. "Nothing is going to save my life. They've told me this."
When the Coon Rapids Hockey Association found out about her situation, they asked what they could do to help.
Acker wanted a birthday party for all three of her boys.
"Probably the last one that I'll get to do, so this is a big deal," Acker said.
But the party wasn't all. The hockey moms in the community also insisted on making a Harlem Shake music video and making her the star.
After the party, Acker went home for a form of hospice.
"I may not see my 40th birthday, I may not see next year's birthday, but I will have the last three months, if that's what I'm given, where I get to run around with my three boys," she said.
The bond between her and her sons is unbreakable. And the boys will get to know their mom better with every precious day.
"It's more important that I have time with them," Acker said, "than for me to be wasting away in a hospital."
Her boys will be able to access her warmth, guidance and feel her hugs. Acker said she'll also pull her sons out of school on certain days so they'll be able to spend time with her.
"They each get their own days," Acker said. "And there may be days where they're all three with me."
She says they have hospice care in their home so her sons will be able to see her at any time of day.
"If it's 1 a.m. or 5 a.m., if they want to see me, they get to see me," she said.
While her boys might not understand the significance of the situation, they have inspired mom like only children can.
"To them it's all about mom," Acker said. "To me, it's all about them."
Acker credits her church and the Angel Program they've formed for helping her out.
If you would like to make a donation to the family a fund is set up at Wells Fargo under 'Team Lynn Benefit.' You can also visit Lynn Acker's Caring Bridge website here.
