Nonprofit dedicated to Lake Oswego graduate who died of leukemia to hold fundraiser

After witnessing her daughter endure the challenges of a stem cell transplant, West Linn resident Deb Helgerson runs a nonprofit dedicated to helping others who are undergoing such procedures at Oregon Health & Sciences University.

Teisha’s Place in North Portland is named after Helgerson’s daughter Teisha Helgerson, who grew up in Lake Oswego, graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1987 and died of leukemia in 2011. The nonprofit offers care and lodging free of charge to patients undergoing a transplant at OHSU. It provides financial relief and comfort during a trying time.

“In order to be approved for a transplant, you have to have lodging and a caretaker or you can’t even be scheduled for the procedure. When Teisha was going through her own treatment, we considered that we would have to fly and move to another city and find housing. After she died I remembered that feeling of how daunting that would be,” Deb said. “It’s a nice comfortable home where people can get well.”

Teisha’s Place is holding a fundraiser from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 at Oswego Hills Vineyard in West Linn. The event will include lunch, live music, cocktails and an auction. The event is open for anyone to come.

“The home makes life so much easier for families going through this program,” Teisha’s Place treasurer Maureen Colburn said. “It costs money to run it … The fundraiser is to help with taxes, maintenance, repairs and upkeep.”

For more information on Teisha’s Place, visit https://www.teishasplace.com/.