Volleyball player raises funds for coach fighting cancer

Tears of love for her coach were turned into a fundraising project for Blooming Prairie seventh grade volleyball player Riauna Bishop.
Riauna came home from school one day and couldn’t hold back her tears, telling her parents, Benji and Nicole Bishop, that her junior high school volleyball coach, Lisa Poe, was having a life battle with colon cancer. She informed them that she wished to help the family.
“She had us all crying and set a goal of raising $2,000 by selling T-shirts,” said Riauna’s mother, Nicole.
With the help of her family, Riauna put together a flyer advertising the sale of Team Poe T-shirts. She contacted Linda Klemmensen of Sportstitch Inc. of Blooming Prairie and placed an order for nearly 200 shirts.
Riauna came up with the final design for the shirt while her parents were on a vacation, incorporating many words of encouragement to Lisa Poe.
Shirt design says it all
The design on the front of the shirt features an outline of the highly visible cancer awareness ribbon. The ribbon is connected by these words: strength, inspire, win, flourish, support, rally, conquer, cheer, love, courage, team Poe and diggin’ for a cure. A volleyball punctuates the ribbon on the right side.
The next challenge was to solicit orders for the T-shirts. Classmate Julia Worke helped Riauna with the sales. “I had lots of help,” Riauna said.
Students and staff at both the high school and elementary school supported the project by placing orders. Friends and family also purchased shirts. Once the shirts arrived, the busy work became more hectic as Riauna, friends and family sorted out the shirts by sizes. The shirts were then delivered to the two Blooming Prairie schools.
Poe, a math teacher, is on leave from her teaching duties. She just recently began a second round of chemotherapy and is planning to return to teaching next school year. Poe was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in November of 2013. The cancer had metastasized to her liver. Her initial treatment included chemotherapy and two surgeries. 
Poe has coached junior high volleyball in Blooming Prairie the past eight years. She and husband Brian reside in Owatonna. They have a daughter, Victoria, who graduated in 2013 and a son, Nicholas, who is a student at Owatonna Christian School. Twins Travis and Trevor are fourth graders at the Blooming Prairie Elementary School.
Unbelievable support
“The support I have received from the Blooming Prairie area has been unbelievable,” Poe said. She said she has friends in the Owatonna area who are undergoing cancer treatment and are astounded by the rallying of support shown to Poe in the Blooming Prairie community.
“The huge outpouring of love gives me and my family strength,” Poe said.
Poe finished her first round of cancer treatment last July and was able to coach into the fall without any serious treatment challenges. “The season worked fine and I felt absolutely great,” she said. She added that it was “a shock” to her to learn after the volleyball season that her cancer had returned.
Lisa Poe returned to Blooming Prairie recently to be part of a photo opportunity for the Steele County Times at both the high school and elementary. Students and staff who bought shirts were part of the group photos. 
Riauna was part of both photos and made two special presentations to Poe just outside of the principal’s office. 
She presented her coach with a container of homemade chocolate chip cookies. A sign accompanied the cookies paying tribute to Poe: “You are one tough cookie.” Most importantly, a check for nearly $2,000 from shirt sales was given to Poe.
“This will certainly help,” Poe said, choking back her emotions.
Poe gave Riauna a series of big hugs thanking her for her efforts. Riauna’s mother Nicole said the Blooming Prairie Cancer Group was very helpful in providing some administrative help to Riauna’s cause.
Poe also paid tribute to the Blooming Prairie Cancer Group, saying it provides “an astronomical amount of financial support” for research and it also provides rides for those who may be struggling with cancer. “Lots of people give their time” to the cancer group,” Poe said.
Like a chain reaction
Smiling widely at Riauna, Poe said, “When others see what you have done, it is like a chain reaction as to what others can do for those with cancer.”
During her journey of fighting cancer, Poe has picked up a fun hobby. “I never had a hobby before, it was always school work, coaching and family,” she said. “I tried to convince myself that cleaning was a hobby but it was not. Now, I make mittens,” she said. She gets material sweaters obtained from the local Salvation Army and has made over 100 pair this winter.
Don’t be surprised if you see Riauna, Poe and friends making mittens in the near future. Riauna will also continue to be active in school, playing volleyball, basketball and softball.