Beloved La Grange teacher receives outpouring of support after diagnosis

LA GRANGE – La Grange teacher Katie Oplawski-Sedlacek has touched the lives of hundreds of area families, and after she received a serious diagnosis Dec. 5, family, friends, former students and even strangers offered messages of support and donated thousands of dollars through her GoFundMe page.

Christine White, longtime friend of Oplawski-Sedlacek’s family, set up the page a few hours after learning Oplawski-Sedlacek had been diagnosed with a very rare cancer. White said she knew everyone in the community would want to help, so she thought a GoFundMe page would be the best way to support the family.

The page went live Dec. 7, and thousands of dollars were raised within hours. The original goal was $10,000, and once that was exceeded, it was changed to $30,000. As of Dec. 14, more than $60,000 had been raised by more than 600 people.

“We knew the family would need money, so this was the first thing we thought of,” said White, who created the page with friend Janet Vinci Wolf. “We sent out emails to everyone we knew, and everyone put it on social media, which shows how powerful social media can be. It was incredible.”

Oplawski-Sedlacek, 45, stepmother to two daughters and mother to three children, grew up in La Grange and has been teaching at Ogden Avenue School for more than 20 years. White said Oplawski-Sedlacek is a well-known and beloved member of the La Grange community.

“We’re a tight-knit community, and when one of us is down, we rally to help,” White said. “I hope she feels the support and love and knows she’s not alone. We’re going to help her get through this and fight with her.”

Oplawski-Sedlacek said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love she’s received, and she is very grateful for the financial support. She said the money would be used for medical expenses and travel, as she and her sister will go to New York this week to see a specialist and begin treatment.

“I’m speechless about the whole thing,” she said. “This shows how much people care, and it’s been uplifting to me this week. You don’t realize how you’ve touched other people’s lives, and most people usually don’t get a chance to hear that. It’s nice to know I’ve done something good for people and made their lives better.”

Oplawski-Sedlacek said she believes so many people want to help because throughout her teaching career, she’s gone out of her way to be “more than an educator.” She’s received donations from several former students who are now in college.

“This isn’t a time when people have extra money, and to reach out the way they have is a miracle,” she said. “I’ve always been able to connect with children and thought of my students as my own. I’ve tried to be a confidante, a listener, and I care about their families and their growth throughout their lives.”

Oplawski-Sedlacek said her condition had been misdiagnosed for more than a year, and doctors had told her nothing was seriously wrong. Once she insisted on a biopsy, she received the devastating news.

“It’s hard, knowing I’ve had this and no one’s been able to figure it out,” she said. “Most doctors have never seen this type of cancer. But the message is to be vigilant about your health. People need to put their health first and take the time to get the right answers.”

Kerry Giordano, Oplawski-Sedlacek’s sister, said she wants the community to know how grateful the family is for their generosity.

“We were completely overwhelmed by the dollar amount but are more touched by people’s kind words,” she said. “It speaks volumes about the kind of person she is and how many lives she’s touched. These dollars will help her get to the best specialists and the best treatment possible.”

White said while she doesn’t know how long the site will be active, she hopes the community doesn’t forget the family will need long-term help.

“She’s so loved, and everyone’s fighting for her and will do whatever she needs us to do to get her through this,” White said. “I know people will continue to help. It’s going to be a long journey, and it will be expensive.”

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How to help

Visit gofundme.com/katieoplawski to support Oplawski-Sedlacek and her family.