A class of NIC students got a surprise when their teary-eyed instructor announced it would be her last day Sept. 10.
Ingrid Fruth, a Biology and Chemistry Instructor of the Natural Sciences Division and mother of four, made the announcement during her Microbiology lab. Fruth had received a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkins T-Cell Lymphoma on July 3. It was originally misdiagnosed for five years, and had become more aggressive. Fruth was originally hoping to be able to work through the semester and the treatments, but time and monetary restrictions prevented her from being able to do so.
Adrienne Nelson, a Nutrition student in Fruth’s class, said that Fruth excused herself from the class nearly in tears.
“You could tell she wasn’t upset about her diagnosis as much as she was frustrated that she couldn’t finish out the semester like she had hoped to,” Nelson said.
In response to the revelation over her condition, students, staff, and members of the community have already started coming up with ideas to support Fruth. Fruth and many of her students have high hopes for a new, $50,000 treatment in Seattle, that could help her cope with the disease. Lymphoma is not curable, but it is treatable.
Theresa Duffield, one of Fruth’s students, and many others are working to organize several fundraisers to gain the necessary funds for the new treatment.
Some of the fundraising ideas include eating contests and “Eat for a Cause” events at some of the local eateries. Part of the proceeds from the night would be donated to Fruth’s account. Duffield said she would be looking for sponsors and donation items for silent and live auctions, which are most likely to happen in December.
“As a mother myself, I can relate to how hard it is to ask for help or even to accept it. We take care of others, it goes against a mother’s nature to have others take care of us,” Duffield said. “So far we are still in the planning stages, but we have several things in the works.”
The response to Fruth’s condition frames the impact she has had on some of the students and people in the community.
“I cannot say that we are friends, but if you have ever met someone that you just knew had a light inside of them and they inspired you to try harder, work harder and learn more, that is what Ingrid is to me,” Duffield said.
Fruth herself believes in giving and left a comment on a “Go Fund Me” site created by Lee Burns in Fruth’s honor.
“After 14 years of growing my hair chemical free, after this moment while unexpected this summer, I chose to cut my hair 12+ inches to donate to locksoflove and make a difference for a kid with cancer. The drugs will make my hair too thin to do this at a later date,” Fruth said.
According to Nelson, Fruth is a dedicated instructor and wants her students to be successful in her classes. Her notoriously rigorous program is partly due to her own experience as a student.
Fruth acquired an Associate’s degree in Chemistry from NIC, a Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry from U of I, as well as a Ph.D. in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry from U of I. Fruth is known around the NIC campus as “Dr. Fruth,” but outside of class she invites students to call her “Ingrid.”
Nelson mentioned that the loss of Fruth as an instructor left some pretty big shoes to fill. Currently the entire Natural Sciences Division is taking over Fruth’s classes.
