Giving Back – CIR Banquet to Host Benefit for Local Cancer Patient

Many of you have heard the name Brenden McGee. For those of you who can’t place the name, think back to October 2015 and the national coverage of one teen working at the Moline Whitey’s who went above and beyond to help make one woman’s day better. Brenden’s story gained national attention thanks to his giving spirit. (For the full story, click here http://kwqc.com/2015/10/16/teens-small-act-of-kindness-makes-widows-day/) Less than two months later, Brenden’s life changed forever. His mother Marcy McGee works at one of CIR’s newest partners, Quad City Spring. She was able to give us some background on his story.

Last month, Brenden woke up, feeling like he had slept on his neck wrong.  This feeling lasted for a couple of days, and even led to him missing a day of school.  On December 4, I took Brenden dinner to Whitey's Ice Cream, where he works, and noticed that his neck was severely swollen.  After calling many people, the general consensus was that he had mono.  I took him to the doctor as soon as I got off work the next day.  However, with just barely looking at him, the doctor disputed that he had mono or strep.  He sent us directly to the Emergency Room for a CT scan.  An hour later, we were given the news that there was a high probability that what we thought was mono, was actually Lymphoma.

We were set up immediately with University of Iowa Children's Hospital where they saw us first thing in the morning on December 7th and a biopsy was scheduled for December 8th.  After being sent home, the phone call came on December 10th, at 1:00.  It WAS Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and it was in both sides of his neck, down his chest wall lining, and he had a tumor measuring 4" x 3" in his neck. They wanted to run a full day of tests and start chemotherapy immediately.

A month later, we have now completed two cycles of chemo - which make him extremely sick, have gone thru three surgeries, and our lives have changed forever.  Through all of this, Brenden has maintained a very positive attitude and is determined to beat this disease.  He has taught me so much about strength, determination, and resilience!  

Now the tables are turned and Brenden is in need of the same kind of kindness he displayed! At the CIR banquet on January 30, large posters of Top ET, Modified, Super ET, True Street, TCR/High School and Junior Dragsters will be raffled off to help raise funds to cover his medical expenses. The posters - designed by Magic Photos, printed by CIR, and framed by The Art Place – will be on display all evening long to check out and winners will be drawn that night.   “QC Spring has been an excellent sponsor since coming on board and we were proud to explain to Marcy how much of a family our racers are,” said CIR General Manager, Bobbi Jo Cox. “We know the generosity that our racing community has shown in the past and we know that everyone will step up to the plate and help this very deserving kid. So plan ahead, bring some extra cash, and help one of our fellow racing community members in need!”