advertisement

Heroes Like Haley fundraiser helps pediatric cancer patients

<p>5K run/walk aims to help pediatric cancer patients</p>

Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the spelling of Stefanie Dell'Aringa's name.

Haley Lichter was a vibrant young woman who aspired to attend Roosevelt University in Chicago after graduating from Cary-Grove High School in Cary, but a rare and aggressive brain cancer — anaplastic oligodendroglioma (Grade 3) — took her life in January of 2015.

Runners and walkers from all over the suburbs will be able to participate in an event that honors Haley and celebrates what would have been her 21st birthday. The second annual Heroes Like Haley 5K Run/Walk will be held at Cary-Grove Park, near Cary-Grove High School, on Sunday, July 10.

“She absolutely loved running, so we thought, what a perfect way to incorporate something she absolutely loved in order to keep her memory alive in the community,” said her mother, Misty Lichter, founder and CEO of Heroes Like Haley, a nonprofit organization that raises money for pediatric cancer patients.

Misty, a former Cary resident, started the foundation after Haley died to help other families with the financial burdens that are attached to a pediatric cancer diagnosis. She put together a board of directors that includes family members, friends and acquaintances, solicited help from local businesses in the community, and used her talents as an events planner to organize various fundraisers throughout the year.

“Coming up in October, we're having our First Annual Paint Night, which is going to be held at Consume, a new restaurant in Lake Zurich,” Misty said. “We also do a Charity Fit Camp at Edge.”

Edge Fitness and Performance in Cary, owned by Mike Spagnola, is a major sponsor of the organization.

Many people who do not even know a pediatric cancer patient participate in the run/walk, while others are friends, family members and community supporters of the families that the fundraiser benefits. Teams of people raise funds ahead of time and donations are taken on the website heroeslikehaley.org.

“Last year was our inaugural 5K,” said Haley's uncle, David Lichter, who serves on the board of directors and ran in last year's event with close to 400 other participants.

“It was a hot day, and I am not a runner normally, so it was a tough journey for me, but I reminded myself what the families are going through,” he said. “Haley was in track and cross country so that motivated me to try to run the entire time. She would have given me a hard time otherwise.”

Last year's event went very smoothly, David added. Before the event started, he set up water stations. The event offers children's activities such as face painting and a mini sprint.

“This 5K has many dimensions to it,” he said.

The 5K Walk/Run creates awareness about pediatric cancer, and proceeds from the event are donated to local families with pediatric cancer patients. This year, members of the organization are asking virtual and active participants to recruit 21 people to donate $21 each in honor of Haley's 21st birthday.

The race will benefit two Cary patients, McKai Malooley and Brock Iverson. McKai, age 8 months, was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer, and Brock, 9, has leukemia. Both will receive cash donations.

In addition, there's a Heroes Like Haley Facebook page to connect with pediatric cancer patients in Cary and surrounding areas.

The Brenners

Kristie and Chris Brenner of Wonder Lake were the recipients of a cash donation from last year's event, which helped with their 20-month-old son Kale's medical bills.

Kale was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor/hydrocephalus and met Lichter at the hospital while he was receiving treatment. The two mothers supported one another, and when Kale turned one year old, Heroes Like Haley helped to celebrate his birthday.

“In lieu of gifts, we had everyone donate toys to the children's hospital,” said Kristie. “Heroes Like Haley put together a table at one of their events and all those toys got donated to the hospital in my son's name for his first birthday.”

Misty was pleased when she saw the table overflowing with gifts at a Heroes Like Haley golf fundraiser.

“I would say there were probably over 200 gifts,” Misty said. “It could be a toy or a book, and we asked for all age ranges, anywhere from a baby to a teenager.”

The Iversons

Lynne Iverson of Cary and her son Brock, 9, were connected to Heroes Like Haley through mutual friends. It was a year ago in November, around Thanksgiving when Brock wasn't feeling well.

“He had a sore throat and he was congested and tested positive for strep,” said Lynne. Later, he developed a purple rash that led to blood work and a diagnosis of leukemia. Lynne had lost her husband, Bart, to cancer four years earlier.

“What went through my head was that it cannot even be statistically possible for this to happen to the same family,” said Lynne. “It took me a while to grasp that it was really cancer.”

Knowing that Heroes Like Haley is going to donate proceeds from this year's race to her and another family has been “almost unbelievable,” said Lynne. “I feel a sense of relief,” she said. “An individual chemo treatment itself could be thousands of dollars, and some of the tests are $6,000 or $7,000.”

The Lichters

For Misty, Heroes Like Haley is a way of giving back to the community after receiving support for herself and Haley from local organizations such as Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation in Chicago, which gave Haley a French bulldog, the pet she always wanted.

“I was a single mom so I quit my job to take care of Haley,” Misty said. “There were a couple of different organizations that helped us. Any support we received we were very grateful for.”

Another reason she started the organization was to provide emotional support to the parents. “I know exactly what these parents are going through,” Misty said.

Families have appreciated Misty's empathy and willingness to help by sharing knowledge or just being there.

“When you're going through something like this, you don't know anybody else who has experienced it, so when you meet someone like Misty who says, 'We're going to help you through this,' or 'here's what I experienced,' boy, does that make a difference,” said Lynne Iverson.

While it has been a lot of work to establish a nonprofit organization and organize fundraisers for it, the easiest part for Misty was coming up with a name.

“We came up with 'Heroes Like Haley' because she was a true hero — her attitude, her outlook on life — she was the definition of a hero,” Misty said.

Next year, Heroes Like Haley hopes to offer an athletic scholarship in Haley's name for a 2017 Cary-Grove High School graduate.

Finding support in coping with infant's diagnosis

'You can never prepare yourself for anything like this'

Cary 9-year-old bravely battles leukemia

A fight for life compounded by medical bills

Magalie Baker and Dustin Throw, friends and track/cross country teammates of Haley's, participated in the first Heroes Like Haley 5K run/walk last year. At center is Misty Lichter. Courtesy of Heroes Like Haley
Last year was the inaugural Heroes Like Haley 5K run and walk. Shown are the board of directors and volunteers for the event, which raised funds for pediatric cancer patients. The organization was founded by Misty Lichter in memory of her daughter Haley Lichter, a 2013 Cary-Grove High School graduate who died of brain cancer. Courtesy of Heroes Like Haley
Haley Lichter and her mother, Misty Lichter. Misty founded Heroes Like Haley in memory of Haley, who died of brain cancer in 2015. Courtesy of Heroes Like Haley

&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;If you go&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;

What: Second annual Heroes Like Haley 5K Run/Walk, a USATF sanctioned event for novice runners and walkers of all ages

When: Sunday, July 10. Check-in at 7:30 a.m.; 5K run/walk begins at 8:30 a.m.; kids fun run begins approximately 9:45 a.m. Awards ceremony for top runners and top fundraisers at about 10:15 a.m.

Where: Cary-Grove Park, next to Cary-Grove High School, Three Oaks Road and North First Street, Cary

Why: Race is held to raise money for pediatric cancer patients and to honor and celebrate Haley Lichter, a Cary-Grove High School graduate who died of a rare brain cancer in 2015. Haley would have turned 21 on July 12.

Cost: $30 per person, includes a custom race medal and T-shirt for all paid, preregistered participants

Fundraising goal: $50,000 ($30,000 was raised in 2015)

To register: <a href="https://wizathon.com/heroes-like-haley-5k/">wizathon.com/heroes-like-haley-5k/</a>

Details: Visit <a href="http://www.heroeslikehaley.org">www.heroeslikehaley.org</a>/ or email Misty Lichter at misty@heroeslikehaley.org.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.