The MACC Fund and sports, both near and dear and with us for years.
For five-time Slinger Super Late Model Champion, Steve Apel, and his wife Liz, it hits home with their son Cameron. Cameron is fighting a rare bone marrow disease.
"Every day is an up and down," Liz Apel says. "I mean, some days are good for myself and not good for Steve, or vice versa."
It's news no parents want to hear.
"Cameron has severe aplastic anemia," Dr. Dave Margolis says. "Here at Children's, the Medical College, we've dealt with severe aplastic anemia for over a generation."
Steve says it is a scary experience.
"To watch your kid struggle with getting poked and all these different people coming in, it's scary," Steve says. "It's something that you never want anybody to go through, let alone a 6 year old."
But there is hope. Steve and Liz watched their youngest son, 4-year-old Harrison, become the match for Cameron.
"The great news is, whether Cameron is here or somewhere else, with this particular disease and the fact, that his brother is a match." Dr. Margolis says. "The evidence based data is outstanding survival."
"They're together all the time and now we see Harrison not wanting to do all the things that he normally does because he's missing that other half," Liz says. "Which is hard for us to see, but you know, it's not forever."
"He understands it, but to see them together in the hospital was really special," Steve says.
"Harrison and Cameron, when they get older will be able to tell some fun stories about this," Dr. Margolis says.
The outpouring support from the racing community... Well, let's say it's expected, but still incredible.
"From Gabe Sommers putting Cameron's name on the car," Steve says. "I didn't expect it. I wasn't looking for that. It made his day. Then when Derek Kraus did it on his NASCAR truck, Cameron was blown away. As a Dad, I was always hoping that my name would be on the side of a NASCAR truck before my kids. But it brings a smile to his face and I couldn't be more proud of the racing community for that."
Through the fight, the Apel family urges bone marrow donation.
"To Be the Match," Steve Apel says. "Getting people to sign up for that is what we're really trying to, I guess raise awareness for. Like Liz said, the MACC Fund. Versiti. Children's Hospital. Really just anything they can do to support people that have support us throughout this journey."
The MACC Fund continues their same mission.
"It simply, I think has been the same message from the beginning, that I remember which is hope through research," Dr. Margolis says.
As for Steve's racing career? The goal is a comeback with Cameron.
"We're ready to go when Cameron's ready," Steve says. "When he's out of the hospital at home and ready and itching to go, that's when you'll see us back at the race track."
The research has come so far in the last three decades. Maybe someday, even more will find a cure and not even have to deal with this in the first place.
