39 For 39

From Lara M. Ryan:

Today, June 30th, would have been Kim's 39th birthday. It also marks six months to the day that I lost my dear sister, my best friend, to cancer. Kim was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in August of 2008 and passed away on December 31, 2009, after a courageous 18-month battle.

It has been a difficult six months for me and my family. We have experienced many "firsts" without Kim ... the first New Year's, the first Super Bowl (Kim loved a good football game), the first Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and Father's Day. Today is just one more milestone we face as this is the first birthday Kim is not with us to celebrate. It seems only yesterday that Kim was taken from us, and days like today are especially hard. It re-emphasizes the time that has passed since I last heard her voice and her laugh, shared a story, looked to her for advice, hugged her, and saw her ever-present, infamous, ear-to-ear, toothy smile.

Over the years we have exchanged many gifts with one another — toys, books, Barbies, dolls, clothes, gift certificates ... and, a blanket: a blanket that Kim carried with her to each hospital visit and chemotherapy session. It was never very far from her and we laughed that as I teased her about becoming the Peanuts character, Linus. I believe the blanket gave her far more than physical warmth. It gave her a sense of her family, a sense of her animals that she loved so dear, a sense of home, and most of all, it gave her comfort and calmness.

Before her passing, Kim's vision was to help provide that same sense of comfort to her fellow patients who were enduring chemotherapy at Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center by giving each patient their own cozy blanket. Thanks to you, we were able to fulfill Kim's vision and deliver 120 blankets to Womack on January 20, 2010. With the remaining blankets donated, our goal is to expand upon her vision and bring comfort to chemotherapy patients all over the United States, which is why the Kimberly A. Hansen Comfy for Chemo Foundation was formed.

In loving memory of Kim and in honor of her 39th birthday, we have launched the 39 for 39 campaign — 39 blankets for Kim's 39th birthday. Our goal is to raise enough money to purchase at least 39 Comfy for Chemo blankets. Again, these blankets will be used to further Kim's vision of providing a sense of warmth and comfort to those undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Please join me and make a donation to the Kimberly A. Hansen Comfy for Chemo Foundation as a tribute to Kim as we remember and honor her on what would have been her 39th birthday in a life cut all to short by cancer. Help us make life just a little more comfortable and cozy for those who are in the fight for their lives by making a donation using our new PayPal button or send a check payable to Comfy to Chemo to the following address:

Lara Ryan

13314 Queensbury Lane

Houston, TX 77079

Donation levels:

$27 — buys one blanket for a patient undergoing chemotherapy

$39 — in honor of Kim's 39th birthday

General donation — every dollar helps us in our effort to bring comfort to chemotherapy patients

Texans Live Sassy

Remember those days when you'd call friends the night before school, giggling, and say: "Wear your (insert-favorite-Tshirt-here) tomorrow! Pass it on!" and a whole crew would show up dressed alike?

Well, who says you have to outgrow that kind of camaraderie? That kind of fun?


Above all, that kind of unadulterated support.

Not the staff of Pine Forest Elementary (PFE) school, who declared last Tuesday, January 21, Live Sassy Day to celebrate Kimberly's life — and like true sassy girls do, wore matching Tshirts to symbolize colon cancer awareness.

Karen Nypaver, Kimberly's mother, is PFE's speech pathologist. She addressed the faculty by sharing a mother's message:

"Take care of yourself. Listen to your body. Get yearly physicals and be persistent with doctors if any symptoms are not improving."

The staff of Pine Forest Elementary, located in the Houston metropolitan area, will participate in the Get Your Rear In Gear 5K Run/Walk in San Antonio on March 28. PFE participants, along with family and friends, will be racing under the Live Sassy team name.

Live Sassy teams are also forming in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC's Get Your Rear In Gear events.

More information about Get Your Rear In Gear and joining TeamSassy will be updated here soon.

Stay tuned — as always, there's more sassy to come!

One Woman's Gesture That Became A Calling

Sassy. 

It's not typically the first word that comes to mind when cancer is mentioned. But there's nothing at all typical about Kimberly Hansen's story. Known for her ever-present smile and signature "live sassy" slogan, she lived for opportunities to make others' lives better. Even as her own time was coming to a close, Kimberly had around 100 people in her community whose realities she was determined to brighten. She will — along with countless more across the nation.

On December 29, 2009, Kimberly expressed her wish for every cancer patient at Ft. Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center to have a warm, cozy blanket during chemotherapy treatments just as she had. With the power of the Internet, this simple but significant request was realized in less than 24 hours for all of Womack's cancer patients. Kimberly learned of the fulfillment of her vision before slipping into a coma and dying on New Year's Eve.

The 38-year-old wife of Lt. Col. Bill Hansen, Kimberly was diagnosed less than two years ago with Stage 4 colorectal cancer. Each of her chemotherapy sessions at Womack were spent with a cozy blanket to keep the experience as comfortable as possible. She was struck, however, at how fellow patients either had only their coats,a hospital blanket, or nothing at all to help against chemo's chilling effects. Each active duty military, retiree or dependent receiving cancer care at Womack was, in her view, "in the fight for their lives" and should have some comfort during it. With that, Comfy for Chemo was born.

It made perfect sense to Lara Ryan, Kimberly's sister. Ryan and her parents, Dave and Karen Nypaver, all remember dolls and blankets fuzzed and frayed from Kimberly's cuddling during her childhood. Says Ryan: "The significance of a soft, cuddly blanket is that it reminded Kim of home, her animals, warmth and provided her a sense of comfort. She hoped that people would receive this same sense of home and comfort having their own blanket." 

Kimberly's last act touched far more than her fellow patients. As dozens of friends, family and strangers spread the word, a rush of orders for over 300 blankets just like hers flooded Brookstone. The retailer took orders by hand, giving purchases on Kimberly's behalf a deep price discount. "Cancer has touched my life and unfortunately, there probably isn't a person who in one respect or another hasn't been affected by cancer today," said Tanya Maxwell, Director of Corporate Sales for Brookstone. "I was so moved by Kimberly's story and compelled to keep her spirit alive. There was no question I needed to act immediately." 

The Comfy for Chemo blankets donated during those first few days after Kimberly’s death were delivered today in a small ceremony attended by military personnel, her husband Bill and several close friends.  

But orders haven't stopped with just those 100 plus being donated to Womack, the response was overwhelming and to date almost 500 blankets have been donated to fulfill Kim’s vision.

"We have a mission now to provide comfort to cancer patients receiving chemotherapy nationwide," said Dwight Hansen, who spearheaded the start of the charity on his sister-in-law's behalf. "Our first goal is to deliver blankets to all treatment centers at military hospitals."  After the Womack delivery, Hansen reports that there are plans for blankets to be delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center and to the Navy Medical Center in San Diego in February.

"This is just the beginning," declares Hansen. "Comfy for Chemo is a way for our family to keep her spirit alive through touching other people's lives like Kimberly did ours."

Comfy for Chemo is a non-profit organization, led and supported by an all-volunteer board of directors and support team — and 100 percent of donations go to purchase blankets for patients.

Live Sassy!

Known for her ever-present smile and signature "live sassy" slogan, Kimberly Hansen lived for opportunities to make others' lives better.

And so she did.

Diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in late 2008, Kimberly spent each chemotherapy session at Fort Bragg's Womack Army Medical Center with a cozy blanket. In her view, every cancer patient is "in the fight for their lives" and should have some comfort during it.

With that, Comfy for Chemo was born. 


In her last days, Kimberly asked for enough blankets to stock Womack's chemo clinic, and within 24 hours, generous donors across the nation fulfilled her wish.

Today, Comfy for Chemo is dedicated to providing blankets for every active duty military, retiree or dependent receiving therapy; and, to do so in the spirit of Kimberly's own words:

"Enjoy each and every day because you never know how much time you truly have. Each day is a precious gift — never put off until tomorrow what you can do today! And always remember to Live Sassy!"