Someone You Should Know: John Blankush
 

Someone You Should Know: John Blankush
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MHS Principal John Blankush Watches Students And Faculty Square Off For ALS Fundraiser

MARSHFIELD -- John Blankush is waging the battle of his life.
His ability to move and communicate is fleeting, less than one year after his ALS diagnosis.
John Blankush says, "It started in my legs and in my speaking. That's the first places that we noticed it."
The outcome for patients suffering with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease isn't hopeful.
Loosing the ability to control muscle function is central to the disease, while the brain remains lucid.
Blankush says, "Currently, there's no definitive answers about what causes it, or what slows it down."
Many of us fold in despair just thinking about it--John is living with it and has not.
Jill Hiller says, "Personally if it were me, I couldn't take that challenge and I don't think that I would continue. But you can tell that this is his life and this is what he really loves.. and the children, he's not willing to let down at all."
Those children make up the student population at Marshfield High School, and John's battle takes place center stage in front of hundreds of them every day.
Student Kyle Willkom says, "A lot of people stricken with ALS wouldn't be so optimistic I'm sure, but he's really taken it and turned it around into a positive."
MHS Senior Alaina Berg says, "I think he's working just as hard as he always has. He's always trying to encourage people and make this a fun environment."
John has served as an educator for more than 3 decades. First, as a choral teacher, then as a principal.
ALS has made his 6th year as principal at Marshfield High School a challenge.
But he's found ways to accommodate his needs and preserve his independence.
Blankush says, "I have so much support here, and I wanted to keep on doing my job as long as possible."
Apart from continuing to work, John also vowed to get the word out and raise money for ALS research.
And his students and staff have responded ten-fold.
At a DECA event in April, Blankush watched on as students faced off with faculty in a basketball fundraiser.
$7,000 was raised.
Combined with last year's game, over $15,000 has been donated to the ALS Association.
And there are other events throughout the year to raise money for the cause.
Blankush says, "Recently, we duct taped two teachers to the field house wall and people bought duct tape lengths and that all went to research."
While John's physical ability diminishes day by day, his sense of humor and fighting-spirit are intact.
He plans to maintain his role as head of this school as long as he can.
"It keeps my mind off of what's happening with my body."
Courage and desire are what drive John everyday.
The students see it and so do their parents.
MHS Parent Network member Philip Hiller says, "I think it's a huge example of perseverance. Teaching kids some real valuable lessons in life I think."
And it's a lesson in life about how some people fold when the cards are down and some people fight.
Berg says, "I hope that if anything like that ever happens to me that I have enough passion and strength to get through it and not let it defeat my life and change everything I do."

For more information on ALS visit www.alsa.org.


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