A GoFundMe campaign for a beloved former Marquette men's basketball staff member has raised over $100,000, opening doors to new cancer treatments.
Barb Kellaher's three daughters, Lauren Eliopoulos, Brooke Stratman and Allison Aers describe their mother as incredibly generous.
"Barbie brings this energy and light to any room she's in," Eliopoulos said.
"The word that comes to mind is giving. She's just— at like a moments notice — she'll give you anything you could possibly need," Stratman said.
Kellaher worked for the Marquette men's basketball team for 20 years, first as support staff and later as director of basketball administration. She retired just last year when she received the life-changing diagnosis of stage 4 peritoneal cancer.
WATCH: Three daughters launch fundraiser, achieving $100,000 goal for mom’s cancer care
"What the doctors have told us is that it's incurable and it's just a matter of extending the time she has," Stratman said. "So, when we heard that we were like, well, we no longer have time to waste here, we need to go all in and get her the funds she needs to get her the treatment immediately," Stratman said.
The diagnosis prompted Kellaher's daughters to create a GoFundMe to help with the cost of new treatments. They initially set a goal of $30,000, but once word spread, that amount was quickly surpassed within hours.
"And then we were like 'Oh my gosh, we can go further, we can help my mom more.' So, then we raised the goal to $100,000 which to me seemed like 'wow,'" Stratman said.
Remarkably, that $100,000 goal was met in just one day.
"I genuinely believe that the more you give the more you receive. And $100,000 in less than 24-hours is exactly what's to be expected with the way that my mom gives to the world and gives to others and treats everyone," said Eliopoulos.
Donations poured in from current and former Marquette basketball players and staff, as well as from people the sisters have never met.
The funds have enabled Kellaher to begin a new treatment close to home, which she started at the end of April.
"That's all we wanted from this and that's what people have given us," said Stratman.
The outpouring of support has given Kellaher renewed energy in her fight.
"One of the biggest things this go fund me has done is given her energy-- its showing her you have an army around you, keep fighting, keep going, everyone wants to see you here for a long long time," said Stratman.
Her daughters remain confident in their mother's resilience.
"All she's done her whole life is overcome challenges," said Aers.
This one, the sisters say, is no different.
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