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CHIEF OF THE FANS: Altoona 10-Year-Old Facing Brain Tumor Gets Football Wish
community pulls together to send Toley to K.C. Chiefs game
A trip to see the Kansas City Chiefs play was a dream come true for an Altoona 10 year old, and it was thanks to a big assist from the Chippewa Valley community, including some fellow sports fans.
Toley Donatell is an upbeat and cheerful kid who loves to play soccer, but there’s a special place in his heart for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, particularly wide receiver Xavier Worthy. In October, after Toley was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, community members rallied around his family to try to ease their burden and lift their spirits.
Toley’s diagnosis followed a number of symptoms, including looking “like he was running in slow motion” while playing soccer, being unable to stand and tie his shoes, and speaking incomprehensibly, said his mother, Lacey. A trip to Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire on Oct. 24 was followed by a drive to Rochester, Minnesota, for an emergency MRI, after which Toley was diagnosed with Diffuse Midline Glioma, a rare form of cancer in his brain stem.
Within a few weeks, generous donors stepped forward to pay for airfare, hotels, and tickets for Toley and his friends to attend the Nov. 24 Chiefs-Panthers game in Charlotte, North Carolina. A couple of days earlier, the 10-year-old was the guest of honor at an event dubbed “Totally Tailgating for Toley” which featured food and music, and collected funds, treats, and words of encouragement for Toley’s big trip. The event was organized by Lakken’s Legacy, a local organization named in honor of the late Lakken Burzynski, which aims to provide “Best Day Ever” experiences for kids with cancer.
And the game day ended up being amazing, said Toley’s parents. “Not only did his dream of watching his favorite team play and win, but dreams that never occurred to him or any of us came true last weekend with the big one being meeting coach Andy Reid!” Lacy and Paul Donatell wrote. In addition to getting to visit the sidelines at Bank of American Stadium with the help of former Packer (and Panther) Eugene Robinson, Toley was able to meet a few of the Panthers players, and received an autographed photo of Chief’s QB Patrick Mahomes. To top it off, the Chiefs won 30-27 on a last-second field goal!
Jordan Hagedorn, owner of For the Hobby Sports Cards in Eau Claire, learned about Toley’s diagnosis from a couple of his shop’s regular customers. He was able to get Toley some special Chiefs memorabilia – including a #15 Mahomes chain and a Worthy rookie card – and went live on the store’s Facebook feed to raise money toward the trip.
Toley’s family say they are grateful for the love and support they’re received from the community since their son’s diagnosis. “Paul and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the love and support you have shown us in the recent weeks,” Lacey Donatell said. “It has been truly incredible to experience the amount of love, sacrifice, kindness, and thoughtfulness within Toley’s community! While our hearts have been broken and our world turned upside down, Toley’s community has lifted us up in love, support, prayer, and generosity which has brought and continues to bring us to tears. We continue to have hope that there will be a cure found in his lifetime. In the meantime trials are being explored and we remain hopeful!”
To learn more about Toley and to help support his family, visit their fundraising page here.
