Moms raise $17,000 for Algonquin family
The Sanchez family in Algonquin has dealt with enough tragedy this year.
And a group of 45 mothers are determined to make sure it doesn't happen again.
In July, Algonquin resident Eileen O'Mara died after fighting inflammatory breast cancer for 33 months.
She was the mother of three children: Jennifer Sanchez, 22, Anthony Sanchez, 19, and Sammy Sanchez, 11.
Her husband's name is Joseph.
Three months after Sammy lost her mother to cancer, doctors diagnosed the sixth grader with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of the childhood disease.
That's when 45 women, calling themselves the army of mothers, snapped into action.
Most of them were friends with O'Mara and their kids have played with Sammy, who attends Algonquin Middle School.
Others are women who live in the same neighborhood as the Sanchez family.
Three meetings, tons of mass e-mails and about a month later, the women put on a huge fundraiser at the middle school that raked in more than $17,000 - money that will go toward paying Sammy's medical bills.
"It's amazing so many people who care and want to help out for the cause," Anthony Sanchez said.
Members of the tight-knit group of neighbors say their response was not unusual.
"If it's your kid, it's our kid and that's just how we feel and that's just how we are," said Terri Antoniewicz, one of the mothers who helped organize the fundraiser.
The event, held at the middle school, included dinner, a silent auction, a bake sale, as well as sales of leukemia awareness bracelets and friendship bracelets made by some of her school mates.
Sammy, who is on an aggressive plan to rid herself of the disease, planned to attend the fundraiser.
But she didn't make it.
She wasn't feeling very well Saturday morning and was rushed to Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where she is receiving treatment.
Her brother and sister say she should return home to Algonquin sometime this week.
The night before she got sick, Antoniewicz said Sammy and her daughter Andrea were in high spirits because they'd just seen "High School Musical 3" on its opening night in the theaters.
By 9 p.m. on Friday, Sammy was feeling tired. It was at 3 a.m. the next morning that she required medical attention.
We are all praying for Sammy to make a full recovery.
"She's a great kid," Antoniewicz said. "She's a great little girl, she's a nice neighborhood girl."
If you missed the fundraiser but would still like to help the Sanchez family, please send a check to:
Samantha Sanchez Medical Account, Harris Bank of Algonquin; 225 S. Randall Road, Algonquin, IL 60102.
•Lenore Adkins covers Algonquin, Lake in the Hills, McHenry County College and Pingree Grove. To reach her, call (847) 608-2725 or send an e-mail to ladkins@dailyherald.com