BONNIE JO TEBO
BONNIE JO TEBO
Editor’s Note: Bonnie Jo Tebo, a 57-year-old nurse from Hibbing, died earlier this year after a 26-year battle with breast cancer. Now, “The Bonnie Jo Tebo Nursing Scholarship” (Endowment Fund) has been created and is being offered through the Hibbing College Foundation. The scholarship’s mission is to empower aspiring nurses who have battled cancer or cared for their child or spouse battling cancer by providing financial support to help them earn their nursing degree through Minnesota North College—the Hibbing campus.
Each scholarship recipient will hear directly from Bonnie Jo through a very personal note of love and encouragement:
Dear Future Nurse,
If you are reading this, it means you have been chosen as a recipient of the scholarship that carries my name—a fund that exists because I believe in you and the journey that has led you here. Though I may not be here to witness the incredible nurse you will become, know that I see you, I believe in you, and I am deeply honored that my legacy will help support your dreams.
I know that if you are receiving this scholarship, you have walked a path that few truly understand. Perhaps you have fought your own battle with cancer, navigating the uncertainty, the exhaustion, and the emotional toll that comes with it. Perhaps you have cared for a child fighting for their life, facing every parent’s worst nightmare, holding onto hope in the darkest of times. Or perhaps you have been the steadfast partner, standing beside your spouse through every treatment, every setback, every small victory, offering unwavering love and support when it was needed most. Either way, I know that your journey has shaped you in ways that no textbook ever could. It has given you a depth of empathy, a quiet strength, and a fierce determination that will make you an extraordinary nurse.
I spent much of my life fighting cancer, but it never defined me. Instead, it shaped me—into a mother who fought to be present for her children, into a woman who refused to let fear dictate her choices, and ultimately, into a nurse who understood firsthand the vulnerability of being a patient. When I decided to become a nurse, it wasn’t just about a career. It was about taking everything I had learned from my own experiences—the pain, the resilience, the moments of human connection that made all the difference—and using it to care for others.
I have seen the power of nurses who treat their patients not just as cases, but as people—who hold a hand during a difficult diagnosis, who listen when the fear feels overwhelming, who bring dignity and kindness into spaces where suffering exists. You will be one of those nurses, and that gives me hope. You will carry your experiences, your heart, and your understanding into your work, and because of that, you will change lives.
I want you to know that you are never alone in this journey. There will be days when it feels impossible, when the weight of your own past meets the weight of those you care for, when exhaustion and doubt creep in. On those days, remember why you chose this path. Remember the strength that brought you here. Remember that what you are doing matters.
Nursing is more than a profession—it is a calling. And those of us who have faced life’s hardest battles often feel that calling more deeply than most. You are answering that call, and I am so proud of you for it.
So take this support, this belief in you, and carry it forward. Let it remind you that your story, your journey, and your heart will make you a healer in ways that extend far beyond medicine. And when you find yourself standing beside a patient, offering them comfort in their hardest moments, know that in some way, I am standing there with you.
With all my heart,
Bonnie Jo Tebo
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