Arlington Hts. garage sale raises money for friend with cancer

Kris Olson had been having memory issues for years. An adjunct film lecturer at Columbia College in Chicago, Olson graduated with a theater major from UCLA and a graduate film degree from Columbia College, but now he found himself struggling with writing, reading and memorizing.

Frustrated, the 41-year-old consulted a psychiatrist, who couldn't find any cause and suggested Olson see a neurologist. The neurologist told Olson something he wasn't expecting.

A March 15 MRI revealed that Olson had grade 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive and common brain tumor. The tumor on the left side of his brain caused swelling that was impairing mental functions.

"The doctors told me I couldn't even leave the hospital," said Olson. Doctors operated March 17 and now Olson is getting radiation therapy five days a week and chemotherapy seven days a week in an attempt to beat cancerous cells into submission.

His mother, Cheryl McClure, flew from Florida to her son's home in Chicago to help him with his medication and get to his hospital visits.

Olson's best friend, Jeff Wayne, 40, of Arlington Heights, wasn't about to take the news sitting down. He and his wife, Cammy, 34, tried to figure out some way to help defray the extreme medical costs Olson was facing. Olson is part of a COBRA health insurance plan but is worried about when that will run out.

"We thought about people don't really have a lot of money to donate, but they have lots of stuff to get rid of," said Cammy.

The Waynes settled on having a garage sale at their house, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Initially, they got items from 30 families, but in a few short weeks it grew to 45 families. Furniture, jewelry, toys, baby gear, stereo equipment, and all other kinds of trinkets piled up.

"We filled our garage, and now it's encroaching into two rooms in our house," said Jeff.

All proceeds from the garage sale will help Olson pay medical bills.

"It's been devastating to us to see someone so relatively young suffer for this. It's heartbreaking," said Cammy.

"It's why some people are giving more than just 'junk,'" Jeff added. "They are giving good and barely used products and donating money if they don't have anything."

Jeff met Olson in 1994 when both of them were taking comedy classes at Second City in Chicago.

"We hit it off immediately, like brothers. We had the same sense of humor, watched the same movies, and loved to work with each other on stage," said Jeff.

Olson is godfather to Jeff and Cammy's daughter, Casey, 4. Her and the Waynes' other child, Vinnie, 5, call Olson "Uncle Oly."

The prognosis for glioblastoma is rarely positive. Five-year survival rates are less than 10 percent. The Waynes still hold out hope for their friend.

"We know Kris is going to pull through this with his positive outlook on life. I think hes afraid to say a negative word. I think hes going to beat the odds," said Jeff.

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Fundraiser garage sale for Kris Olson</b></p>

<p class="factboxtext12col">• 9 a.m. -3 p.m. Thursday, April 29, Friday, April 30 and Saturday, May 1</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col">• Jeff & Cammy Wayne, 822 N. Belmont Ave., Arlington Heights.</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col">• To donate money, mail a check to Kris Olson at the Waynes' address, or donate through paypal at cammy_wayne@yahoo.com.</p>