"Young cancer patient to light up We Care"

Story By TOM CAREY
Tribune communities editor

Teen cancer patient Steve Vas, some would argue, shines despite his disease.

 
Thanksgiving night — thanks to the backing of fellow student council members and others — he’ll literally light up the holiday season at We Care Park. The Northwestern High School student will be among throngs flocking to the northside spot when it opens for the 2006 season around 6 p.m. that day. And he’ll have his finger on the pulse of activity there as he flips the switch illuminating the park. Park proceeds benefit charity
Folks travel freely through the illuminated park throughout the holiday season. There is no admission, but donations are accepted and then turned over to We Care. The public is annually invited to bid on the right to flip the switch on opening right. Monies raised this way also go to the charity.  We Care is primarily a fund-raising effort conducted the first full weekend of December each year, according to information found on We Care’s Web site. It’s an all-volunteer organization, and 100 percent of all funds raised are given to local organizations providing assistance to the disadvantaged and less fortunate as well as the mentally and physically challenged within the community.

Diagnosis shocked teen athlete.
Initially, the 16-year-old swimmer, track runner and football player thought the bump on his right forearm was perhaps nothing more than a muscle enlarged by exercise. But that calm was disrupted May 24 when he got a diagnosis of bone cancer, Ewing sarcoma to be specific. “I was shocked,” he said Monday, before heading out for another session of physical therapy. His radius was removed during an August surgery — “they’re fairly sure they’ve got [the cancer]” — and he’s been undergoing chemotherapy ever since. At school, well, “it was hard to tell everybody; they were shocked,” Vas said. Still, “everyone at school has been supportive and generous,” even raising donations in Vas’ honor for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser last summer. The support has extended beyond school walls. Delphi co-workers of Dad Tim bought Steve a laptop computer, convenient for homework when the son is hospital-bound. Teachers, family friends and relatives have been among those who’ve provided him additional financial and emotional support. The Quad-County Sharks, a swim team, also had a fundraiser for him. And the support here continued last week, even as Steve was undergoing chemotherapy in Indianapolis.

Teacher touts Vas as great guy

“He’s inspirational, motivational,” said health and physical education teacher Lori Miller. “He’s fighting the ultimate fight and he’s doing a great job with it ... a smile on his face and a sparkle in his eye.” It’d been announced last week that people could call in during a segment of WWKI’s Male Call to bid on the right to flip the We Care switch, Miller said. The morning of the broadcast, Northwestern student council members — who had $5,000 raised from previous fundraisers at their disposal — decided to bid on Vas’ behalf. Northwestern senior class president Blake Merrell called in donations from students, huddled amidst fellow pupils at the school that morning. That classmates would step up to bat didn’t surprise Miller. But the teacher said Monday what was unexpected was the call-in response of program listeners, who chipped in donations ranging from $25 to $400 for Vas’ cause. Offering the $400 donation was Jeff Brubaker, whose late sons and former Northwestern students Casey and Sean had perished from injuries suffered in the same car crash. Miller noted the day of the call-in would have been Casey’s 20th birthday. When it was all done, park owner Mike Wyant said, $2,575 was raised in the teen’s honor for Thursday’s project.

Patient supports We Care

The teen said he’s long admired We Care and the support it provides The Salvation Army and other groups. He plans to have his family at his side as he flips the switch Thanksgiving night.

“It’s nice to know nice young adults,” said Wyant, commending the students for their support of Vas. Wyant also noted the classmates took advantage of an offer to decorate a 15- to 20-foot pine tree. Oh, and Wyant does have a bit of advice for those wanting to light up their lives Thursday night: “Get there early to get a good parking space.”