Saline County Deputy works through cancer treatments, sees major community support

CRETE, NE — Jen Warning carries several titles: Saline County Sheriff’s deputy, school resource officer, Mom. Lately, she’s added fighter to the list.

“I think it was the week before Christmas that I got diagnosed,” Warning said.

At just 33 years old, Warning learned she has breast cancer.

“Then I just immediately got it in my head, I’m going to fight this and I’m going to win,” Warning said.

Fighting started with chemotherapy. The first four treatments were the worst, leading to debilitating migraines.

“It sucked,” Warning said. “To put it kindly, it sucked.”

Now she’s seven treatments in to an eight-treatment regimen and is learning she’s not fighting alone. Students from her assigned schools in Crete and Dorchester have her back. Two weeks ago, Crete Intermediate students lined the school sidewalk with signs offering encouragement.

Students are the only ones who noticed her fight.

A Dorchester restaurant hosted a fundraiser, friends are selling t-shirts and fellow school resource officer Dawn Jonas helped organize a spaghetti feed.

“She’s important to us so we want to do whatever we can do to help,” Jonas said. “With our jobs, we’re a little more connected and so any way we can use that to help, we do.”

“Thank you will never be a big enough word to show people how much we appreciate it,” Warning said.

Warning says the community’s support has given her family peace of mind.

“I can go to my treatments and worry about my treatments. I don’t have to worry about, am I going to be able to afford this,” Warning said.

Local help means even more, as national support for her profession declines.

“There’s still people that don’t hate us,” Warning said. “There’s still people that know we’re good.”

Warning’s treatment extends beyond chemo. She’s scheduled for a lumpectomy in June and radiation therapy starting six weeks later. She’ll continue her fight with the community behind her.

“I’m kind of a private person so it’s a little knew to me,” Warning said. “But it definitely helps me get through the bad days, knowing that I have so many people that care.”

You can donate to help the Warning family with medical expenses through Great Western Bank. Just ask for the Jennifer Warning Fund.

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