Stevenson Jazz Band, Culver's of Buffalo Grove Rally for Family of Student Battling Leukemia

More than 30 Stevenson High School band members, their families, and seemingly the entire community gathered at Culver's in Buffalo Grove on Thursday, March 9, to support freshman Matthew Abrams, diagnosed last fall with leukemia and who recently underwent a life-saving stem cell transplant.

The Stevenson Jazz Lab Band's Music for Matthew fundraiser featured the Stevenson Lab Band, Stevenson Combo, and Stevenson Jazz Ensemble performing throughout the evening, while officials from Be the Match were on site registering guests into the National Marrow Donor Program.

Abrams' friend and fellow classmate, Simone Ervin, organized the event, while Culver's pledged to donate 20 percent of sales to the Abrams family to assist with medical bills.

When the numbers were finally tallied, Culver's of Buffalo Grove owner Kevin Weasler was more than happy to write a check for nearly $1,000 to Lisa Abrams, who reports that son Matthew is doing "as well as can be expected" as he recuperates at Lurie Children Hospital following his stem cell transplant just one week earlier. Raffles held throughout the evening helped generate an additional $500 for the Abrams family.

In addition, Culver's of Buffalo Grove will continue to place canisters near their registers in an ongoing effort to collect even more donations for Matthew in the coming weeks.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Matthew and his family," said Weasler. "We're proud to call Buffalo Grove and nearby Lincolnshire our home, and our ability to play a small role to help just feels right. We strive to make a difference in the community we share with so many others, and working with Stevenson High School allows us to help support individuals and families in our area."

The gofundme page 'Matthew's Marrow Mission' has been created where supporters can visit to learn more about Matthew's story, updates on his health, and for visitors to make their own donation.