Former Fallbrook High teacher battling cancer for second time - Mustache-growing contest in October to help fund her daily care

To be clear, Patty Christensen isn’t expecting a miracle cure. And she isn’t looking for sympathy. What the former Fallbrook High School teacher does seek is the most precious of resources – time.

For the second time in 25 years, Christensen is battling breast cancer. She beat the disease in 1987 through an aggressive treatment program. But this time around, the cancer has created other health problems for the 68-year-old mother of four and grandmother to five.

It is her loved ones, especially those five grandchildren, who have Christensen seeking a respite from her current ills -- one that could eventually give her more time with them.

“She isn’t looking to live another 20 years,” said her son, Paul Christensen, an Escondido firefighter. “She really would be happy to have even a couple more years with her grandkids. She loves them and they love her, too. It would be great if she could get better and be able to spend some more time with them.”

To make it even two more years, Patty Christensen is coveting a lot of prayers, some divine intervention, and the return of some of the strength she used to have before her latest bout with cancer. Aside from the prayers, and the expectant result, she also needs full-time care while she recovers from her most recent medical procedures which have left her weak and requiring the use of a walker just to get from room to room.

While insurance covers most of her medical costs, it offers little to help defray the expense of around-the-clock daily care that Christensen currently needs. She now lives with her daughter, a full-time school teacher, and her family in Fallbrook, but their working schedules won’t allow for them to be at home to care for her during the day. And that is where Christensen’s most pressing need arises.

“It’s about $1,200 a week for someone to come in and give her the care she needs right now,” said Christensen’s daughter, Lisa Tagle-Nava.

“We’re all working full-time just to get by; otherwise one of us would be here with her every day, all day.”

When Paul’s co-workers heard of his mother’s most recent illness, his fellow firefighters decided to help the family by naming Patty Christensen as this year’s beneficiary of the celebrated Escondido Fire Association’s Stache-Tober Fest fundraiser.

The fifth annual festival will be held Oct. 8 at Stone Brewery in Escondido, and is open to firefighters and civilians alike; in a unified attempt to “grow some of the most beautiful and pitiful mustaches” America has to offer.

All net proceeds will go to assist Patty Christensen’s family in helping pay for her care while she recovers from her latest bout with cancer.

“This is a pretty remarkable undertaking for those folks that work with Paul,” said Patty Christensen between sobs, as she recalled when she was notified of her selection.

“I just can’t thank those firefighters enough. My family, too, has been so supportive of me while I’ve been going through all these medical tests and procedures.

“It’s just so much work for them, but they have always been so helpful to me. It will be great to be able to afford to have someone come here every day until I can get back on my feet.”

Patty Christensen knows she faces a tough road ahead to recovery. She isn’t thinking that she’ll have another 25 years to watch her grandchildren grow up and marry. But she does cling to her faith, and is praying for at least a few more years.

“I don’t think I have that many more years to go, but whatever time I have, I want to enjoy it with my family without being a burden on them,” she said.

“We’re just hoping and praying for the best result.”

The night of the Stache-Tober festival (Mon., Oct. 8) begins with a beer tour at 5 p.m. (first come – first served), with free beer tasters to follow. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and must be pre-purchased on the association’s website: http://www.stachetoberfest.net.

The cost of the dinner is $25 and includes: Caesar salad, seasonal veggies, garlic mashed potatoes, beer mac-n-cheese, Stone Levitation BBQ’d chicken and pretzel wrapped brats. Only 300 dinners will be sold. Beer will be available all night long with $1 of every Stone Beer sold going toward the fund for Patty Christensen. The mustache contest will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Stone Beer Garden.

For more information on the festival, visit http://www.stachetoberfest.net or email [email protected].