Admissions Guest Center Coordinator, Kae Bjorklund, answers the pressing questions of yet another prospective student with a smile beneath her mask. One of Bjorklund’s day-to-day tasks is fielding all the questions that come to her at the front desk to the correct admissions counselor, student life representative, or academic department. No matter how seemingly ridiculous the question or request may be, Bjorklund makes sure it does not go unattended. “She lives out a lot of sacrificial love which is just the heart of the gospel” said Rylee Forshee. | Photo by Miranda Erbele

The woman who welcomes

The story of a woman who refused to let a cancer diagnosis steal her joy.

By Miranda Erbele | Event Coordinator

Kae Bjorklund marches toward the Admissions Guest Center at Bethel University. Wearing her 1-inch red heels, she leads another family to its tour guide with a smile on her face. Bjorklund never seemed to grow tired. Until Feb. 26, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

No history in her family. No symptoms. A routine mammogram revealed to Bjorklund’s doctors that cancer had invaded part of her body.

But the diagnosis didn’t stop her from walking through each day with joy. She continued to hop out of bed each morning, put on her boss-lady pants, and welcome families with a smile.

Rylee Forshee, a senior at Bethel and one of Bjorklund’s many student workers, experiences this daily.

“She welcomes everyone with a joy filled heart and open arms,” Forshee said.

Kae Bjorklund shines her bright smile to countless admissions guests throughout the day. Bjorklund has held her position as Admissions Guest Center Coordinator for 10 years. Meeting prospective students, their families, and working alongside current students are just a few of the things that bring this smile to her face each day, even amidst a battle with cancer. “She always goes the extra mile for her students, co workers, and visitors even though it may make her day a little more complicated” said one of Bjorklund’s beloved student workers, Rylee Forshee. | Photo by Bethel University

One surgery and 12 weeks of chemotherapy later, Bjorklund now only visits the hospital for monthly doses of Herceptin, a drug that is meant to target her specific type of cancer.

Upon finishing a year of these treatments, she will be referred to by doctors as “cured.” The word many with a frightening diagnosis long to hear.

“Obviously, there was shock right away. But after that I was never afraid, I was never terribly emotional about it,” she said.

“If you don’t ever reach the bottom, you don’t always have to look up.” — Kae Bjorklund, Admissions Guest Center Coordinator

Instead, she says she put her trust in God. With immense grace and faith, she faced a situation many hope they never have to go through themselves.

“If you don’t ever reach the bottom,” Bjorklund said, “you don’t always have to look up .”