SuperSibs! will honor 100 local moms of children with cancer
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the family goes on an emotional roller coaster ride, as well as an endless string of doctors appointments, tests and treatments.
It can be hard for exhausted parents to focus their attention on their healthy children, and that's where SuperSibs! comes in.
The national nonprofit organization, based in Rolling Meadows, supports the siblings of children with cancer. It's an important job, as more than half of children whose siblings have cancer report symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
On Saturday, May 8, during Mother's Day weekend, SuperSibs! will host its third annual "A Tribute to Our Quiet Heroes" Luncheon and Auction at the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont.
One hundred moms from across the Chicago area whose children have cancer will be honored and given a chance to renew their spirit. The special guest speaker is Rudy Pauls, the runner-up to last season's "The Biggest Loser," who will talk about how his sister's cancer diagnosis impacted his childhood.
The auction will feature prizes, including tickets to the Cubs-White Sox game at Wrigley Field Saturday, June 12; a two-hour private coaching session for up to three boys from former Cub and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Aaron Heilman; and a six-day vacation to Mexico.
The luncheon is open to the public, and the $100 tickets include the luncheon and program. The cost will also help cover the cost for the guests of honor.
Most of the 100 mothers being honored are from the suburbs. Among the honorees:
Vickie Czapla, MundeleinMarried to John Czapla. Parents of 5-year-old twins Jack and Mackensie. Jack was diagnosed in Nov. 2009 with ALL leukemia. Mackensie has been in SuperSibs! since Dec. 2009.A bit about her family: What we thought was a pinched nerve turned into the next three-plus years of our lives. The treatment has not gone as smoothly as we had hoped, but we are still very optimistic about the overall outcome. We will take whatever hurdle is thrown at us if that means Jack's life is spared.How has SuperSibs! helped?: With Jack being a twin, the attention he gets (and deserves) can really upset Mackensie. She does not understand the magnitude of everything. The one thing ... that really sticks out in my mind is when she received the SuperSibs! trophy in the mail. She took it to school the next day and told all her friends she got this trophy for helping take care of her brother. You could see how proud she was of herself. It helped her feel like she had a purpose in this fight.Maria Nevarez, ElginMarried to Jose Nevarez. Son Arnold, 10, was diagnosed in August 2008 with ALL, a blood cancer. Son Adrian, 6, has been in SuperSibs! since September 2008 and Leonor, 2, will be in the program when she turns 4.A bit about her family: Since Arnold's been diagnosed, he has been in and out of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. His immune system is very low, so he gets sick easily. With Children's being nearly an hour from our house, it has been hard commuting with my little ones. Arnold is still in treatment, and probably will be for another year or more. His prognosis is good because ALL is very treatable.How has the disease affected you, as a mother?: It's helped me understand the pain and suffering of other people. When your child is diagnosed, you feel lost, and like you're the only ones going through this. Once you get involved with all the hospital stays, doctors, etc., you begin to live in a different world and the things that used to seem important don't seem to matter anymore. You begin to realize that having a healthy family is the most important thing.Sue Henry, ItascaMarried to Tom Henry. Daughter Meghan, 21, was diagnosed in September 2005 with a Wilm's Tumor. Children Tricia, 19, Kevin, 17, and Tommy, 13, are SuperSibs! alumnus.A bit about her family: In September 2005, our life was good and very normal. Meghan was a champion Irish dancer with the Trinity dance company and was very healthy. Out of nowhere, Meghan had blood in her urine and was diagnosed with Wilm's Tumor, a rare childhood kidney cancer. She has been fighting the disease ever since. How has SuperSibs helped?: We were always concerned about our other children while Meghan was being treated. We believe in being open and honest with them. They enjoyed getting mail from SuperSibs!, especially since Meghan was receiving so many gifts and cards. The SuperSibs! materials also helped us, as parents, open up discussions with our children to talk about their feelings during this difficult time. Our youngest, especially, enjoyed the things sent to him. They have made him remember and feel like he had courage and other good qualities as a sibling.How has the disease affected you, as a mother?: There is no cancer history in our family, so when Meghan was diagnosed it was very scary and shocking. Living with a teenager who is being treated for cancer has made me realize that I have to slow down the busy, crazy lives that we live and actually talk, listen and hug the kids every day. I have also had to let them go out and live their lives when I wanted to keep them locked up at home so nothing bad would happen to them. This is not the life I wanted my children to live, but we have learned to not look too far into the future and enjoy the blessings we have today.False346344Vickie Czapla, of Mundelein, with her 5-year-old twins, Jack and Mackensie.Courtesy of Czapla familyFalse