Bolingbrook Volleyball Marathon a Cause Dear to Freshman Coach Patton's Heart

In an effort to raise money for pediatric cancer research at Lurie Children’s Hospital, Bolingbrook High School’s volleyballteams will stage a five-hour marathon on the court Saturday, Nov. 9.

“Although survival rates for some childhood brain tumors have increased, survivors often suffer from lifelong side effects of radiation and chemotherapy,” said BHS freshman girlsvolleyball coach Matthew Patton, whose younger sister Casey, a Downers Grove South volleyball player at the time, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 16. “Brain tumors are the deadliest form of childhood illness; even non-malignant brain tumors can kill children.”

Casey went through surgery and weekly chemotherapy treatments in Children’s Memorial Hospital (now Ann and Robert H Lurie’s Children’s Hospital) for 13 months. At the age of 21, Casey relapsed and went through two months of proton radiation treatments at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital. During this time, the Patton family learned a lot about research  into finding better treatments and cures for pediatric cancer and the critical need for funding. In order to help, they created Be the Cure®, raising money that goes directly to the Falk Brain Tumor Center at Lurie.

Casey, now 23, will soon graduate from Illinois State University’s Mennonite College with her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and is currently a student nursing intern at Lurie Children’s.

The BHS volleyball marathon will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Attendance and fundraising are voluntary. Girls who participate must purchase a Be the Cure® t-shirt for $7 unless they raise $50 in which case the t-shirts are free.

Families are encouraged to join in the fun with their daughters. Food will be provided so the participants can keep up their energy while they play.

Community donations and t-shirt purchases ($15 each in sizes small to extra large) may be made through Coach Patton atPattonMD@vvsd.org. Checks can be made out to Casey Patton/Be the Cure.

All proceeds will go directly to cancer research at the hospital.

For the Pattons’ story and t-shirt information, go to www.be-the-cure.com.