During this past fall, the Aurora Central Catholic Football program, along with the Cheerleaders and Dancers, helped raised funds and awareness for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital with their “Team Up for St. Jude’s” night against Wheaton Academy. Now the Chargers are at it again, this time however, with a fight much closer to home.
Kirsten Bohr, a little six year old girl in Kindergarten at nearby St. Mary’s in Plano, was diagnosed in October with Embryonal Rabdomyosarcoma, a cancerous tumor on the muscle of one of her eyes. Kirsten has been undergoing chemotherapy at the University of Illinois-Chicago Medical Center and proton therapy at Central DuPage Hospitals Proton Center in Warrenville.
Kirsten and her family are apart of the Aurora Central Catholic community and Football family in a few different ways.
ACC Football Players (L-R) Drake Reidy, Steve Belovich, Joe Cisneros, and Beau Grzanich show off their "Kirsten's Kickin' Cancer" bracelets at school on Thursday.
Her father, Andy, was a 1995 graduate of Aurora Central Catholic, and was a member of the 1994 Charger football team that advanced to the IHSA State Semi-Finals. Andy Bohr, a defensive back, still ranks 25th in school history in tackles, and is in the ACC Hall of Fame as a member of the ’94 squad. Junior Steve Belovich (Hinckley), and Sophomore Brian Bohr (Aurora), both current students, and members of the ACC Varsity Football team are cousins of Kirsten.
“She is a fighter,” Sophomore Brian Bohr said. “She has gone through a lot, all the treatments and hospital visits. Our family is so big, we don’t get to see each other all that often, but just to know what she is going through proves how tough she is.”
Kirsten’s Great Aunt, Christine Goodson, told ACC Head Coach Brian Casey about Kirsten, the diagnosis and the different treatments needed the week following the St. Jude’s event. Casey, who was active in getting the St. Jude’s event at ACC off the ground, was interested in helping.
“In all honesty, I have never met Kirsten,” ACC Head Coach Brian Casey said. “But hearing her story from different members of her extended family, I wanted our program to help in any way. The fact that this little girl is fighting this horrible disease is just gut wrenching. Our kids not only need to support their teammates and a former ACC player, but to do anything we could to help support this little girl.”
Her family made ‘Live Strong’ style bracelets to support Kirsten, and to help raise funds towards the medical bills that will be a result of her treatment. As of Wednesday, every member of the ACC Football program are wearing sky blue bracelets that are inscribed “Kirsten’s Kickin’ Cancer”.
“It was actually very neat,” Casey said. “Many of the kids were running into my office getting a wristband, and making a donation. But to see everyone in the weight room after school, every kid in the weight room had theirs on. Our kids understand the significance of what we are doing and why we are doing it, and I am very proud of our kids for seeing a bigger picture and doing something special for others.”
Just last weekend, Kirsten was recognized for her courageous fight at ACC, serving as an honorary Charger cheerleader for the Aurora Central Catholic basketball game against Aurora Christian.
Kirsten’s doctors and nurses at both facilities have said she is responding well to treatments, and are very optimistic about her progress.
Anyone who would like a bracelet to help support Kirsten, her family, and her fight against cancer are encouraged to contact Coach Casey at ACC. A donation of $2 per bracelet is being asked to assist with medical bills. To read more about Kirsten and her journey you can log on to www.caringbridge.org/visit/kirstenbohr.
