When Pat Landherr’s daughter, Mary, was told her mother has cancer, she couldn’t believe the news.

“I thought this shouldn’t be happening to our family,” she recalled.

The news was true: Stage 4 kidney cancer.

It was April 13, and the news changed everything in the Pat and Steve Landherr family.

Kidney cancer strikes more than 36,000 Americans every year, and kills more than 12,600 adults and children. About half of new cases diagnosed in adults are localized, or limited to the kidney itself. Another 25 percent have advanced disease at diagnosis, and 25 percent will have regional disease. Ultimately, about half of kidney cancer patients will experience metastases (tumor spread). The risk of metastasis is directly related to the size of the primary tumor.

Today, Pat, an accountant at the Astrup Durg Corporate Offices, and her husband, Steve, maybe best known as an auctioneer, are learning more than they ever wanted to now about kidney cancer.

Their children, Scott, Mary and Erin are also.

“We just couldn’t believe the news,” said Mary, family spokesman. “We thought something like this would never happen to our family, but it did.”

With uncovered medical expenses increasing, Landherr family members are rallying to hold a benefit for their loved one, Pat.

The grand prize in the Pat Landherr Benefit Raffle is a vacation in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee during leaf season.

The raffle winner will stay at the five-star Wyndham Smoky Mountains resort Oct. 11-18 in a two-bedroom, two-bath condo.

Raffle tickets are being sold for a $5 donation each.

The winner need not be present to claim the top prize.

The drawing will be held Saturday, June 20, at the Pit Stop in Dexter, where the fundraiser will be held from 3 to 8 p.m.

There will be silent and live auctions, a pork sandwich picnic lunch and the opportunity to enjoy fellowship with Pat and Steve and the Landherr family.

Free-will donations will be accepted at The Pit Stop.

Family members and other relatives are organizing the benefit.

Mary Landherr said her mother is “about the most selfless person there is.”

“She taught me the importance of giving,” the daughter said.

And now, relatives, friends and strangers will have the opportunity June 20 to practice giving to one in need.

Raffle tickets can be purchased at Rose Creek City Hall, Dave’s Plumbing and Heating or Brenda’s Market in Rose Creek, Sterling Main Street Drug in Austin or by calling Jan Nelsen, 438-7051; Wendy Landherr, 438-6709; or Gale Stewart, 440-0368.