South Strabane charity game to benefit youngster battling cancer
Photos: Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Izzy Heather, with her dog, Dobby
Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Izzy Heather is shown after completing her ninth round of chemotherapy in May. The South Strabane Township police and fire departments will host a charity softball game in August with proceeds donated to IzzyStrong.
Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Izzy Heather, left, was able to attend a field trip to Mingo Creek County Park in May with Trinity West classmates while undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Rising Trinity Middle School sixth-grader Isabelle Heather attended the Taylor Swift Eras concert in Pittsburgh in June. She was accompanied by her father, Kyle, right, and her friend, Sydney Fleissner, left.
Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Isabelle Heather, right, who is battling Ewing sarcoma, was named a captain of the Trinity Youth Cheerleading team.
Courtesy of IzzyStrong
Trinity West students and staff visit Izzy Heather before she starts a round of chemotherapy in February.
Members of the South Strabane Township police and fire departments will take the field on Sunday, Aug. 20, for a charity softball game that will benefit a 12-year-old Trinity Middle School student who is battling cancer.
No matter who wins the third annual Battle of the Badges, both teams are winners, in the eyes of Isabelle Heather, who has been undergoing treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma, and her parents, Kyle and Rachel Heather.
Kyle Heather said his family could not be more grateful for the support provided by the township’s first responders – and the community at-large – since Izzy was diagnosed with Ewing’s in December.
“We’re so appreciative to South Strabane for considering doing (the charity softball game) for her, we’re very honored they decided to do that for us,” said Kyle.
Proceeds from the game, which will be played at the South Strabane Community Park, will be donated to IzzyStrong, to help offset medical and other expenses.
Around Thanksgiving, Izzy visited a doctor after fighting a cough and fever for a week and was diagnosed with a cold.
But the cough and fever persisted, and Rachel suspected something wasn’t right. In December, Izzy’s primary care physician scheduled a chest X-ray, which showed a tumor between the size of a baseball and a grapefruit in her chest.
Doctors confirmed a diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that occurs in the bones or in the soft tissue around them. It is more common in teens and young adults.
Izzy was immediately admitted to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she underwent chemotherapy to shrink the size of the tumor.
In March, doctors successfully removed the tumor.
Now, about seven months after she went in for initial tests, Izzy continues to travel to Children’s Hospital for 14 rounds of chemotherapy, which she will complete at the end of July.
The radiation and chemotherapy clean up microscopic cancer cells surgery cannot remove.
“Everything has been successful so far,” said Kyle. “I think that right away we were shocked and terrified. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. But doctors had a plan right away, and we started into that plan.”
Izzy’s parents marvel at her strength and courage, and the smile she always musters, no matter how badly she feels.
“She always says, ‘I’ll do what I have to do, what’s next, let’s do it,'” said Kyle. “She has such an ornery, fun, easygoing personality.”
Izzy loves cheerleading, her dog, Dobby, and her family and friends. She recently was named a captain of Trinity Youth Cheerleading, and her family is encouraged that she will be able to participate in cheer this year.
In addition to the police and fire departments, the Heathers have along list of people and organizations who have helped out since the family was confronted with the emotional and financial hurdles that come with Izzy’s cancer diagnosis – friends, family, the Trinity Area School District, nonprofits, and others who have reached out and made things a little easier.
Trinity held a district-wide “Izzy Strong” day in February, with students wearing IzzyStrong shirts that bore the saying, “In this family, we fight together.”
The day before Izzy’s fifth round of chemotherapy began, Trinity West fifth-graders and teachers packed into a school bus for a surprise visit to Izzy’s home.
And on June 17, Izzy received tickets to the Taylor Swift Eras concert in Pittsburgh from cancer survivor Peyton Swanzy Swaggerty, wife of Pittsburgh Pirate Travis Swaggerty, and doctors gave her the OK to attend.
“We can’t say enough about the family and friends in the community who have supported us,” said Kyle. “Their support has meant a lot.”
The softball game is slated for 1 p.m. A kids’ tug of war will be held between the fourth and fifth innings. All American Grill food truck will be on site.
Sponsorships are available. Contact South Strabane police Officer John Beckus at jbeckus@southstrabane.com for additional information, or visit the South Strabane Township Police Department Facebook page.
Also, Battle of the Badges T-shirts are available for purchase at https://dynamiccreationsshop.com/collections/battle-of-the-badges-charity-softball-game?fbclid=IwAR15oBt8AHpXjwwbsAZC7UXLJ9kTvrP5QJ4vISoyPf3vTeVptMiNgvw8ZyQ&mibextid=Zxz2cZ, with proceeds to benefit IzzyStrong.