The Milk House co-owner Kassidy Tessendorf, right, watches as her good friend Kim Bear, center, rings up a customer on Saturday, Nov. 9, during Reinbeck’s annual downtown holiday celebration, Miracle on Main. Tessendorf and her husband Greg (not pictured) spent much of last weekend trying to clear out The Milk House’s holiday stock – everything from home decor to ice cream – ahead of a temporary closing while Kassidy is treated for Stage 3 breast cancer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

REINBECK – Last weekend as Reinbeck kicked off the holiday season with its annual Miracle on Main celebration, downtown business owners Kassidy and Greg Tessendorf were trying their best to ‘undeck the halls’ at their seasonal home decor/ice cream shop The Milk House in an effort to better position themselves to confront a recent diagnosis in the family – breast cancer.

“Hey Milk House followers,” Kassidy wrote on the business’s Facebook page on Nov. 3 alongside a photo of her and Greg holding their children Porter, 4, and Rooney, 2. “We have a bit of an update for our holiday season. …”

Kassidy went on to announce that she had been recently diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer.

“[T]his is obviously a bit of a wrench in our plans this year. I was truly so excited for the Christmas season in the shop as it’s literally my favorite time of the year. But, I will be having chemo weekly [and] with that comes a low immune system and we just don’t know how things will be looking. With that, we are making the difficult choice to close for this holiday season.”

The Tessendorfs – who both have full time careers with Greg working for Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District as an instructional coach/high school ELA teacher and Kassidy for Cedar Falls Community Main Street as the events and promotions coordinator – opened The Milk House in June of 2023 in the former Fountain on Main location. In the months since, the shop has quickly become a beloved favorite to both locals and visitors alike, scooping up delicious hard serve ice cream alongside handmade shakes, malts, banana splits, and more.

Kassidy Tessendorf, right, smiles alongside her mother Kris Stephan, and her two-year-old daughter Rooney on Saturday, Nov. 9, at The Milk House in downtown Reinbeck. Stephan, a 10-year cancer survivor, was visiting from Waukee to support Tessendorf as she begins treatment for Stage 3 breast cancer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

It was only natural then that once folks in the community began to learn of Kassidy’s diagnosis they wanted to help the young family. But accepting such help, Kassidy said, has not been exactly easy for her.

“The community has been so great,” Kassidy told the newspaper this past Tuesday. “We really are so fortunate to have everyone reach out, drop off meal cards and packages, donate and, of course, offer to help with the kids, too. It’s been uncomfortable for someone who is pretty independent but we are really so grateful for everyone.”

The community certainly stepped up in a big way during last weekend’s Miracle on Main. As soon as the doors to the shop opened at 9 a.m. on Saturday for one last time until next summer, dozens of people were ready to eat ice cream and snatch up some pretty gifts. Kassidy told the newspaper both Saturday’s and Sunday’s sales were “very successful.”

“We have some leftover items we will be doing Facebook live/story sales for probably within the next few weeks. We have a pretty great audience that gets excited for the online shopping experience so I’m looking forward to that!”

In terms of any leftover ice cream, Kassidy said she and Greg plan to donate it to the G-R high school students involved in this weekend’s musical performance of “Sister Act.” If there’s any ice cream remaining after that, it will go to Little Rebels Learning Center.

Bailey Kate, 2, excitedly waves to her friend, The Milk House’s Kassidy Tessendorf (off frame) last Saturday during Reinbeck’s annual kickoff to the holiday season, Miracle on Main. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

How to help the Tessendorfs

Kassidy Tessendorf is only 30 years old.

When she shared on Facebook in late October her diagnosis of advanced stage breast cancer, the response from friends and family was swift and robust.

“As October [and] Breast Cancer Awareness month wraps up, I typically have a post stressing how important it is to know your family history [and] to get your mammograms in as it’s very near [and] dear to me stemming back with many women in my family,” she wrote on Oct. 28. “However this year, it hits a bit different.”

Kassidy went on to write that while she has been receiving regular mammograms since 2015 due to a family history of cancer and being positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation – a genetic mutation associated with an increased risk of breast cancer – she was still surprised to find a rather large lump in September. Following testing, she was diagnosed with an ‘aggressive and fast growing’ cancer, she said – one that had already spread to her lymph nodes.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

“There have been some really, really, low days since finding out,” Kassidy further shared. “I only say that because a few people close to me have expressed how they are so happy I am feeling so positive about the situation. But, I have [two] little kids and the best husband on the planet at home [and] I really have no choice but to now be positive [and] get this dang thing out of here!”

Almost as soon as Kassidy shared her news with the wider world, her community was spurred into action – starting both an online and t-shirt fundraiser.

“Kassidy is a devoted mom, loving wife, caring daughter, small business owner, and a wonderful friend,” Kendra Hartsock of Reinbeck wrote in the introduction to a GoFundMe started on the Tessendorfs’ behalf. “A month ago, she discovered a lump in her breast. Given her family history, she took the important step of getting it checked out. Just two days later, while waiting in the preschool pickup line, Kassidy received the life-altering news … She has always been someone who jumps in to help others, but it’s our turn to jump in to support her.”

As of this past Tuesday, Nov. 12, more than $11,500 has been raised toward the fundraiser’s $30,000 goal. According to Hartsock, all donations will be given directly to Kassidy to help cover medical expenses and anything else the Tessendorfs might need in the weeks and months ahead.

To donate to the online fundraiser, use the following website: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-kassidys-cancer-journey.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

For those who prefer donating directly to Kassidy, contributions can be sent to her Venmo account: @Kassidy-Tessendorf.

To show your support for Kassidy publicly and proudly, pink floral t-shirts declaring ‘THROUGH THICK & THIN’ can be purchased via a Google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScaE4BfklVnxXQT2LQS2IH91JsI9pFgU2lN8y3tFPV5cC7VhA/viewform.

“We are optimistic that we will be back fully for the summer season as Greg [and] our awesome employees have more flexibility but [we] are just needing to proceed with caution this winter,” Kassidy wrote on Facebook ahead of Miracle on Main.

The week prior to the downtown event she also wrote, “We sure have felt the love – thank you all so much for your thoughts and sweet words of encouragement, gifts and meals. It has been overwhelming in the best way. Just really lucky to have so many great people in our corner as we head into this next journey.”

For more information on the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, refer to UnityPoint Health’s website: https://www.unitypoint.org/find-a-service/cancer-care/breast-cancer.

Kassidy Tessendorf gives her son Porter, 4, a knowing look while packaging up items for a customer last Saturday at The Milk House during Miracle on Main. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

If you notice any of the following symptoms, you are urged to speak with your doctor right away:

*A lump, hard knot or thickening in the breast

*A lump under your arm

*A change in the size or shape of your breast

*A breast that feels warm or swollen

*A change in skin color and texture such as dimpling, puckering or redness

*Nipple pain, tenderness or discharge, including bleeding

*A nipple turning inward or inverted

*Itchiness, scales, soreness or a rash on your nipples

Greg and Kassidy Tessendorf and their children Porter, 4, and Rooney, 2, pictured last Saturday at The Milk House in downtown Reinbeck. PHOTO COURTESY OF KASSIDY TESSENDORF