Website sponsored by

Golf Tournament Information and Registration

Explore the excitement of our annual golf tournament! Take the first step towards making a difference—register today and join us in creating positive change through golf and giving!

712 Giving » Golf Tournament Information and Registration

Saturday, August 2, 2025

7:30am registration | 8:00am shotgun start

This Year's Recipients

TODD ALTMAN

Todd, Patty, and their 2 children, Jordan and Kaitlin, have lived in Waseca since 1999. Todd is the Hy-Vee Meat Manager in Faribault, Minnesota, and Patty is a Second Grade Teacher at Hartley Elementary School.   

During the summer of 2023, Todd started experiencing severe pain in his upper right thigh area with swelling in his right calf and foot.  In late August, the pain was so extreme that Todd wasn’t able to walk, and therefore was not able to work. His family first took him to urgent care in Mankato, and an ultrasound test were performed.  The ultrasound results ruled blood clots. However, Todd was still experiencing extensive pain and was using crutches to get around so the following day, his family took him to the Mankato Emergency Department. They gave him medication for his pain and performed a CT scan. After 8 hours in the ED, they set up an appointment for Todd to see a urologist. Todd had a PSA blood test done, and biopsies were performed.  Todd’s PSA (Prostrate Specific Antigen) level was 879, which was extremely elevated.  A normal PSA is around 4. The urologist discussed the results of the tests and explained the scans. The results confirmed that Todd had stage 4 prostate cancer so a new journey in our life began. 

Todd met with radiation oncologists and a medical oncologists in Mankato, who stated that this was a very aggressive cancer, as the scans also detected a spot on Todd’s pelvic bone and by his spine plus cancer was present in numerous lymph nodes.  A PET Scan was performed in Rochester, and then the treatment regimens began in Mankato in addition to genetic counseling. 

For the past 1.5 years,  Todd has experienced a lot of “ups and downs”, as most cancer patients do. Some spots have grown, and other spots have gotten smaller. Todd has responded very well to his treatments with limited side effects, and his PSA number has gradually decreased.  At his last checkup in February 2025, his PSA number was in the normal range:  4.4.   His next PET scan is scheduled for April 2025.  We are hopeful that we will see more positive results.  

After moving to Waseca in 1999 Patty accepted a third grade teaching position at Sacred Heart School in 2002, and that is where the Altman family met the O’Brien families.  Ben and Ria O’Brien were teachers at Sacred Heart at that time so our relationship formed.  Patty has had the privilege of teaching Ben and Ria’s son, Oliver, Matt’s son Gavin, as well as three of Tony and Tami O’Brien’s children, Sally, Sarah, and Sydney.  

 The Altman family got to know Bea O’Brien over the years. Bea always made time to visit and was so genuine in wanting to know how everyone was doing.  She stayed positive and let us know that she cared and was praying for him, and we did the same for her.  Over the past year, we have also had several conversations with Sally and JP Eykyn and their cancer journey.   During Todd’s cancer journey, we have had doctor appointments with Tami O’Brien, as she works with Todd’s medical oncologist.  In addition to having a wonderful relationship with her on a personal level, we have appreciated working with her on a professional level, too. 

The Altman family is forever grateful for the personal relationships that they have made with the O’Brien families. O’Brien’s passion and generosity for helping others is never ending and so appreciative! They learned from the best, and that wonderful lady is smiling down on them everyday.   

CHRISTINE PETERSEN

Christine Petersen is from Bemidji, MN where she lives with her husband Tom and their two children, Tyler (16) and Alaina (13). Christine works at Pinnacle Marketing Group as a graphic designer and has been employed there for 21 years.

Christine was 44 years old in October of 2023 when she experienced indigestion that was no longer treatable with over the counter medications. An Upper GI procedure was done to discover she had stage 2 stomach cancer. She started the FLOT chemo treatment in November, followed up with stomach surgery in February. They removed the tumor, 40% of her stomach and 13 lymph nodes. They were told that no other signs of cancer were visible. Four more rounds of the FLOT chemo were recommended to start after 6 weeks of recovery. After the first round in March, she unfortunately experienced extreme pain in her abdomen, which was a perforation in the stomach. The plan was to recover a few more weeks before starting chemo once again. During that time, things took a turn for the worse and she was unable to keep any food or liquids down. She became very dehydrated and had malnutrition. Many tests and scans were done to discover a blockage in the scar tissue between the stomach and small intestines. They scheduled a surgery in May to remove the blockage, at which time they discovered the cancer had spread. 
In June of 2024, Christine was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. After meeting with the gastrointestinal specialist there, she was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer and peritoneal disease. “It is not curable, but treatable.” She started the next chemo treatment called FOLFIRI. Christine was able to have the treatments done in Bemidji and follow up appointments in Rochester. Everything seemed to be working fine until November of 2024, when the chemo stopped having any effect on the cancer. Her CEA number (cancer marker) elevated quickly from 6 to 63, with 0-3 being the normal range. Her oncologist at the Mayo quickly found a chemo trial that she could start immediately, the only catch was she would have to go three times a month to Rochester, MN for the treatments, scans, tests and appointments. The family was excited about having a chemo trial available for her, but were concerned about the time spent away from home. If you don’t know where Bemidji, MN is, it’s 290 miles north of Rochester, MN.  Luckily, Tom’s sister, Kristie Biehn, brother-in-law Matthew and nephew, Elijah live in Waseca, MN. Without hesitation the Biehn’s offered her a place to stay and to drive her to the appointments and treatments.
In December of 2024 Christine started her third set of chemo plans, which consisted of chemo and immunotherapy infusions. By February, scans showed that the tumors were significantly shrinking and her CEA numbers were lowering. They are happy to report that the chemo has slowed the growth of the cancer and by May 2025 her CEA number was now in normal range, sitting at 2.8. 
Christine is currently on the same treatment and is very blessed to have family in Waseca to help her through this journey. 
Christine Petersen is the sister-in-law to Matthew and Kristie Biehn of Waseca, MN. Matthew and Kristie have been strong supporters of the work 712  is doing. They have sponsored numerous golf events at our annual O’Brien Open and we are appreciative of all they have done for the organization.

Skip to content