Teen dances to her own beat
by Wyoma Groenenberg
Before surgery, doctors thought they would freeze then 4-year-old Rowen Brennecke’s eye that had retinal cancer and then treat it -- instead, it turned into a life or death decision.
The tumor on Rowen’s eye had grown rapidly, so the eye would have to be removed or Rowen likely would die in a couple of weeks, the surgeon explained.
 |
There was only one way to answer that n “go ahead” and remove the eye, her mother Bridget Brennecke told the doctor at the Pennsylvania hospital. Her family moved to Casper soon after that.
That was 12 years ago, and today, Rowen is a survivor who has great determination. Her greatest joy in life is dancing, especially hip hop.
“Dancing brings the most joy in my life,” the 16-year-old said, noting that she competes, and the awards she’s won make her feel better about herself.
Cheryl Campbell, Rowen’s longtime dance instructor, pointed out that Rowen “can transform from hip hop into a beautiful ballerina, on opposite ends of the teaching spectrum. She’s phenomenal at both.”
Campbell also is the cancer coordinator for the Wyoming Medical Center Foundation and the Angels Program, which is hosting a fund-raiser called Designs for Life on April 3.
A cancer survivor herself, Campbell believes that Rowen personifies someone who has done wonderful things in designing her life despite having cancer as a child and now having only one eye.
In recognizing Rowen’s dancing talents, Campbell asked the teen and her older sister, Tierney, to perform a dance, a tribute to their deceased father, at the third annual fund-raiser, which honors cancer patients and their caregivers.
Survivor in another sense
Almost more difficult than having the pain after getting a new prosthetic eye (made of hard plastic, not glass) every four years, Rowen has endured being called a freak and being teased constantly.
The teen explained that she is a cancer survivor and that one story going around about her eye is not true. The story says that Rowen’s eye just fell out one morning into her cereal and that is why she now has a fake one.
“I want people to know that I’m still the same (as they are), and I don’t want them to look at me for that one thing. Not a lot of people know that I had cancer because not many people take the chance to get to know me.”
Bridget said, “As a parent and an adult, to see somebody who’s gone through something like this as a child and had to deal with all the things that kids do to other children. … She definitely a survivor in more than one sense,” also working to overcome her self-confidence issues.
According to Rowen, her best friends, Chelsea and Stephanie, tell her that they look up to Rowen and come to her for advice.
“It makes me feel better that some people do look up to me even though I am different,” she said. “Some people view me as a freak and others are inspired by me.”
A sophomore at Natrona County High School, she takes honors classes and is working toward an Academy diploma. She also takes dancing classes in hip hop, ballet, lyrical ballet, jazz and recently dropped tap.
Rowen has a list of goals for her future. She plans to go to college and major in English, and then might pursue journalism or photography. She also wants to continue with hip hop dancing, with a goal to be in one of Missy Elliott’s music videos.
The teen mentioned that Alyson Stoner always is in Elliott’s videos. Rowen said she can do everything that Stoner does in those dances.
Or there is choreography, for which Rowen has won awards at dance competitions.
And this summer, she hopes to take professional classes at the Millennium Dance Studio in Los Angeles.
No matter where she goes and what she does with her life, Rowen Brennecke’s experiences have made her stronger and not so quick to judge others.
Hand-painted glass
“Looking Clearly to the Future for Hope” is the theme of this year’s Designs for Life, to be held at the Nicolaysen Art Museum from 5:30-8 p.m.
A variety of hand-painted glassware and other artwork, including a hand-painted doll named “Baby Hope,” will be up for silent and live auctions. Campbell said more glassware or other auction items will be accepted through March 30.
The evening also will include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and musical entertainment. There will be photo displays of cancer patients, living and deceased, and their caregivers throughout the NIC.
“We just want people to come out to this,” Campbell said.
According to Campbell, the Angels Program, through the Wyoming Medical Center Foundation, offers a “ray of sunshine” to cancer patients and their caregivers. The volunteers run errands, shop and provide other services. The program also has a library with information about cancer, she said.
Tickets for Designs for Life are $20 each or three or $50.
For more information, call 577-2971.
- Getting to know Rowen Brennecke
- In her spare time, she likes to make necklaces
- She enjoys snowboarding, but goes forward on the side from which she can’t see, saying she does it “backward”
- She has a job, but hopes to volunteer in senior living centers
- She jokes about her eye to make it funny so others can laugh too
- Cheryl Campbell organized a Make-A-Wish party for Rowen when she was young
- Only 200 people a year are diagnosed with the same kind of cancer Rowen had, which also is genetic