Fundraiser set for Bloomingdale mom with cancer
Lucy Pierri and her family are among the many wishing for a Christmas miracle in the coming weeks.
And they know it, so Lucy's altered her request.
"I'd even settle for a little stocking stuffer," said the 44-year-old Roselle mother of three who's in the fight of her life against the advanced stages of colon cancer. "But I'm not giving up on that big miracle with Sunday right around the corner."
Pierri, known to many as the nurse in Bloomingdale Elementary District 13 schools, was diagnosed two years ago with a tumor on her hip and cancer in her liver. Later, she said, doctors discovered the cancer originated in her colon.
Her prognosis is now considered so severe that doctors say she has exhausted her treatment options in Illinois and referred her for expensive clinical studies at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. She didn't hesitate to go to Texas.
"I'm no more special than anyone else in the world because you have to do what you have to do," Pierri said. "You can sit and wallow in your little pity pot, but I've got three kids and a husband waiting for me. I just can't give up."
Her first round of treatment cost $78,000 and it's still being hashed out how much of it will be covered by insurance. In the meantime Pierri's friends, who she's dubbed her personal angels, have organized a fundraiser Sunday evening to help ease the Pierris' financial burdens.
From 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, thousands of the Pierris' friends, family and complete strangers will gather at Lake Park High School's West Campus in Roselle for a donated pasta dinner, raffle and silent auction with the goal of raising $100,000 before Lucy heads back to Texas on Thursday for her next round of treatment.
Despite the understandable fear Pierri has heading into her second round of the trial phase, which includes injecting the chemotherapy directly into her liver to fight the growing tumor, it's this effort that keeps her going.
"I'm a fighter, anyway, so it doesn't take much more than looking at my husband and children to keep me getting up every day," she said Thursday. "But my heart swells for the effort I've benefitted from thanks to friends and people I've never seen.
"My family keeps me getting up but all these people cheering me on in my corner keeping my fighting hard every round. I can't fail and let them all down."
Amy Dahly, perhaps Pierri's best friend and hardest-working angel, said it's actually been Pierri's spirit that has breathed life into the organized efforts which culminated into the Love for Lucy Foundation, a organization formed to accept tax-deductible donations for the family and the driving force behind Sunday's event.
Dahly and Pierri met and bonded two years ago when Dahly was battling breast cancer. Today Dahly is cancer-free and she's waiting for Pierri to join her, so they can celebrate their victories.
Until then, Dahly is presiding over the foundation. As of Thursday, more than $13,000 was raised but she believes they'll hit their target by Sunday night.
"There's not a person that has met Lucy or heard about her that hasn't fallen in love with her so we'll get there," Dahly said. "But this whole effort is based on trust and faith in God and whatever is meant to be raised, we will raise."
Lucy Pierri will be at Sunday's event and she'll be thanking everyone and celebrating with friends. But she'll also have a message for everyone.
"Everyone I meet, I tell them 'If you're body is telling you something, get in the doctor's face and demand answers. Don't be afraid to listen to your body," she said. "If I would have paid more attention, maybe I could have prevented some of this. So now I want to prevent it in everyone that will listen."
Love for Lucy
What: Friends said they hope to raise $100,000 to help ease the financial burden on the Pierri family while Lucy undergoes experimental treatment for colon cancer.
When: 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Lake Park High School West Campus, 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle.
Tickets: Available at the door and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children and seniors. Raffle prizes include iPods, Bears tickets and several other donated big-ticket items.
Other ways to help: Follow Lucy Pierri's progress and find other ways to help at http://www.freewebs.com/loveforlucy/index.htm