Starting in the early morning of June 28, Tiffany Portue will compete in Ironman Coeur d'Alene, just 22 days after she graduated from Lake City High.

The 18-year-old bound for the University of Idaho this fall has been a busy bee this summer, trying to raise $3,000 for the Anna Schindler Foundation, which raises money to help fight childhood cancer in the Northwest (www.annaschindlerfoundation.org).

It is named after Anna Schindler, a child from Coeur d'Alene who died on June 29, 2010, at the age of 7, after a five-month battle with hepatoblastoma, or liver cancer, in which one in 1 million children suffer from. Joe and Polly Schindler, Anna's parents, founded the foundation in 2011.

Portue's grandma, Barbara Irvine, has relatives of friends who have cancer and Portue met a few children at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, where her grandma received cancer treatments.

"She was diagnosed with it in September," Portue said. "We're lucky she survived, it's a miracle. I've gotten to know (Anna's) mom (Polly Schindler). She's handling everything and raising money. I'm doing it for all these people."

PORTUE, WHO was born in Santa Rosa, Calif., and moved to Post Falls at the age of 8, is part of a 17-member team that has 11 members raising $3,000 each and others raising various amounts, up to $25,000, and the overall goal is $67,500. So far, the team has raised $25,186 and Portue has raised $792. She was a district transfer to a middle school in Coeur d'Alene before attending Lake City.

Dr. Tom deTar of Post Falls, an ear, nose and throat surgeon who raised nearly $27,000 last year for the foundation, let Portue know about the foundation. deTar's daughters, Maggie and Suzanne, swam for Post Falls High and Portue and they are members of the Coeur d'Alene Area Swim Team.

Portue also works as a lifeguard at Coeur d'Alene city beach.

"He's the one who introduced me to the Ironman," Portue said. "I (swam) with his daughters for 10 years. I've been a swimmer my whole life. He basically started the interest. The Schindler Foundation was started by her parents. He was a family friend and he thought he'd include me to raise money for their foundation."

Last year, Dr. deTar competed in Ironman Cd'A.

"We have known Tiffany for years, with our daughters swimming with her on the CAST team," deTar said. "She is kind, a great student, determined, and motivated, and signed up for Ironman on her own. I had heard about her goal, and approached her with the idea of competing as an Ironman for Anna. She jumped at the idea, knowing her efforts would help local kids in their fight against cancer- it shows her giving personality.

As a state-qualifying swimmer who finished in the top six in three different events at last fall's state 5A swim meet at the Boise City Aquatics Center, Portue certainly has the swimming background. It's the 26.2-mile marathon at the end that she's hoping to get through just fine, after a healthy-sized 112-mile bike race, of course. The 2.4-mile swim kickstarts the event, which will begin between 6:35 a.m. and 7 a.m.

"Most people have trouble running at the end," Portue said. "I'm doing something every day and (preparing) on my own. I'm training with Hendrick Megel."

Portue is training with Hendrick Megel, a past Ironman Cd'A finisher.

LIKE QUITE a few local Ironman competitors, Portue would love to compete next year. But first is getting through this year's ordeal.

Portue is no triathlon rookie. Last year, she was part of a team that won the Race to the River triathlon, and part of a team that finished third in the Coeur d'Alene Triathlon.

"I will definitely do it next year," Portue said.

With Portue's athletic background, she has a pretty good shot at competing as long as she wants.

"She is a competitor," deTar said. This event will test her stamina, her will to persevere. If she has trained consistently, she will finish."

To donate money to the foundation, log on to: www.annaschindlerfoundation.org or www.crowdrise.com/2015CoeurdAlene/fundraiser/tiffanyportue

Or send a check to: Anna Schindler Foundation, 6700 S. Stateline Rd., Post Falls, ID 83854

Bruce Bourquin is a sports writer at The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2013 or via e-mail at bbourquin@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @bourq25