Prospect Hts. family fighting brain cancer with fundraiser for research

Andy Schabow has already beaten the odds. But that hasn't stopped the 59-year-old Prospect Heights resident from fighting, either for himself or others with brain tumors.

From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 26, at eScape Entertainment Center, 350 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove, he and wife Dorrie will be hosting what has been ambitiously titled "The First Annual Andy Schabow Bowl-a-Thon." The event is being held to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association.

As of now, there are still spots available to bowl. To register, donate or learn more, go to hope.abta.org/schabow2009.

In March 2006, Andy was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor and given 12 to 18 months to live.

It has been nearly 40 months since that diagnosis.

"You have to have hope and a lot of will," Dorrie said. "He's a fighter."

Andy has no explanation for his longevity, although will seems to enter into it. "I'm here twice as long as they thought I was going to be. I don't know if it's my doctor. I don't know if it's faith or all of the prayers people have been saying for me over the course of time. It's just been a lot of support, moral support. Between my family, friends, co-workers and employer, everybody has just been absolutely phenomenal."

Andy was a sales manager for a spirit and wine wholesaler.

"I had at that time four district managers and my 25 sales people that worked for me," he said.

Since then, he has taken on a new role as manager of trade relations and is succesful at that.

The cancer came to light after his family began noticing slight changes in his personality.

"I became very short tempered," he said. "After experiencing a seziure while driving on the Kennedy Expressway, my wife noticed I was veering off to the right lane. Fortunately there was no one in the way."

He set up an appointment with an internist for a full physical that discovered the tumor.

"My wife and I were sitting in the internist office," he said. "The nurse had put us in a seperate room immediately, which had never happened. And I said, 'I have a bad feeling.' As soon as I saw the internist, I looked at him and said 'how bad is it?' He replied, 'it is bad.'"

It would only get harder, since he had to go through the process of telling his children and the rest of the family.

"But we got through it," he said, "and since then, the support has made it a lot easier."

He elected not to have surgery. An "absolutely fantastic" oncologist helped him through 18 months of chemotherapy. "I go for an MRI every three months. I'm here twice as long as they thought I would be."

He still works. "I was off for a few weeks, but then I went back a little bit part time. I couldn't drive for a year, but someone would drive me every day to work. One of my sons or my wife would pick me up, and they would bring me home when I was tired."

Dorrie Schabow said all the proceeds from the silent auction, tickets and raffles are going to the American Brain Tumor Association.

The family has been involved with the association since her husband's diagnosis and already has raised nearly $50,000, funding grants for doctors who are researching brain tumors, a couple of which carry her husband's name.

"They do a walk every year, and for the last three years, we have done the walk with them," Dorrie said. "We just thought we would try something different this year and hopefully we will raise a lot of money."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Andy Schabow Bowl-a-Thon</p> <p class="News"><b>Time:</b> 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 26</p> <p class="News"><b>Place:</b> eScape Entertainment Center, 350 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove</p> <p class="News"><b>Beneficiary:</b> All funds go to the American Brain Tumor Association</p> <p class="News"><b>Information:</b> <a href="http://www.hope.abta.org/schabow2009" target="new">hope.abta.org/schabow2009</a>.</p>