By: Betty Glynn
Cystic Fibrosis, aka CF, is an inherited chronic disease that affects the
lungs and digestive systems of about 30,000 children and adults in the
United States. A defective gene causes the body to produce unusually thick,
sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life threatening lung
infections, obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping
the body break down and absorb food.
This is nothing new to Stephanie Soberri, a thirteen year old Illinois
Valley native, and her family. They have become experts on CF and the
up-hill battle encountered. She has been fighting the disease her entire
life. Steph was diagnosed at the age of one following numerous
hospitalizations during the first twelve months of her life.
Since then, the battle has continued. Breathing treatments are just a way of
life for her. She is your typical teenager though. She attends Ottawa’s
Shepherd Middle School as an eighth grader and can’t wait for her Aunt
Gina’s new baby to arrive.
She loves to fish and play basketball. Her prayers are filled with hopes of
a Dell Laptop for Christmas and a dirt bike. Meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr. and
one day driving a stock car are at the top of her wish list.
She is an avid sports fan to say the least; She roots for the Steelers,
Packers and Cubs but what she wants more than anything is to be healthy. At
5’2” and a mere 80 lbs this ball of fire loves life and her family.
Unfortunately, she has been stricken with many health complications but CF
is the culprit of many stolen dreams.
Stephanie is so like other kids but so limited in following her teenage type
urges. Rheumatoid arthritis keeps her on the sidelines when CF doesn’t. She
follows a no chocolate, no soda, low sodium diet but none of that seems to
matter to Steph. For most kids, the three things she has to avoid are at the
top of their food pyramid.
She has a tremendous passion for her family and racing.
Coming from a line of race car drivers makes her love of the sport natural.
Her maternal grandfather, Bill Weistart Sr. of Oglesby raced stock cars,
followed up by her uncle Billy Jr. who races a dirt late model.
Her most treasured racing hero, in front of Earnhardt, is a 34 year old
female that has been an inspiration and caregiver. It is none other than her
own mother, Tina.
Tina’s racing concluded in 2005, due to the family’s financial burdens, but
the smiles continue whenever a walk down memory lane is shared with
Stephanie.
Her mother not only raced but she accomplished what no other female had when
she was crowned the first female Midwestern Sportsman Track Champion at
LaSalle Speedway in 2005. The proudest of times for a child who seems to not
always have dreams come true.
Stephanie still proudly talks about the season when her mom was crowned a
champ. For now, those days and her hopes to be well enough to keep the
family tradition rolling are on hold.
Although racing brings out a powerful energy in this angelic teenager it
isn’t enough to keep her breathing. She has blonde straight hair and a smile
that could melt anyone’s heart. She is the type of child that within five
minutes you just feel like you’ve known her forever.
Stephanie has to cross the finish line of a double lung transplant at the
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, four hours from home, before any more of her
dreams can be fulfilled.
“Stephanie is amazing,” her mom told during a recent meeting. “She has been
through so much. This is really hard for her to be so far away and she can’t
keep in touch with her friends and family too easily.”
On November 13th, she was admitted to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital
following a check up by her transplant doctor. To become active on the
transplant list, there are many requirements including infection free. For
now, they are using intravenous medication to cure her current lung
infection. She also has to maintain her weight which is no easy task with
hospital food and being far away from everyone dear.
For now, her mother is packing on the miles traveling back and forth to take
care of family and her job at Flying J while staying strong for the entire
family.
“Flying J has been so good to work around Steph’s schedule,” said her mom.
“When the time comes we will officially move to St. Louis and hopefully get
her transplant quick.”
The move is mandatory for her to qualify for the transplant. Once a set of
lungs becomes available, the transplant doctor will be flown via a Lear jet
to personally inspect the lungs. Stephanie will begin the prep stages at the
hospital. If the lungs are free and clear of disease and meet the strict
criteria, she will be ready in the surgical room when the doctor returns.
Staying behind will be two of the most important male figures in her life.
At home, her big brother Nick, a high school sophomore, and their father
figure Brian will hold down the fort and wait for their return. The
relocation of mother and daughter to St. Louis will be hard but everyone
knows it is the only option to save her life.
“Being so far from everyone, especially Nick and Brian, is really difficult
for her. She wants a Laptop to help her keep in touch so bad it is heart
breaking, I just wish we could afford to give it to her,” Tina explained.
Due to the tremendous expenses the family has right now and ahead of them, a
benefit to help defray some of the burden is being held on December 8th. The
Knights of Columbus will be the site of this event in La Salle. Tickets are
$15, which will include dinner, beer and soda.
Local businesses have been donating items to be raffled off at the event.
The list is growing and already includes a golf course package at Senica’s
Oak Ridge, a skybox party at LaSalle Speedway, a Grand Bear Lodge family
suite worth over $300, overnight rooms at the Holiday Inn, Fairfield Inn,
LaQuinta, cash prizes and much more.
“We have been so lucky that our local businesses have been so generous to
us,” Tina Soberri acknowledged. “We really are grateful for everything
everyone has done.”
A fund has also been established for anyone wishing to make a donation.
Funds can be sent to: Benefit of Stephanie Soberri, c/o Eureka Savings Bank
101 N. Columbia Oglesby, IL 61348.
Cystic Fibrosis, aka CF, is an inherited chronic disease that affects the
lungs and digestive systems of about 30,000 children and adults in the
United States. A defective gene causes the body to produce unusually thick,
sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life threatening lung
infections, obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping
the body break down and absorb food.
This is nothing new to Stephanie Soberri, a thirteen year old Illinois
Valley native, and her family. They have become experts on CF and the
up-hill battle encountered. She has been fighting the disease her entire
life. Steph was diagnosed at the age of one following numerous
hospitalizations during the first twelve months of her life.
Since then, the battle has continued. Breathing treatments are just a way of
life for her. She is your typical teenager though. She attends Ottawa’s
Shepherd Middle School as an eighth grader and can’t wait for her Aunt
Gina’s new baby to arrive.
She loves to fish and play basketball. Her prayers are filled with hopes of
a Dell Laptop for Christmas and a dirt bike. Meeting Dale Earnhardt Jr. and
one day driving a stock car are at the top of her wish list.
She is an avid sports fan to say the least; She roots for the Steelers,
Packers and Cubs but what she wants more than anything is to be healthy. At
5’2” and a mere 80 lbs this ball of fire loves life and her family.
Unfortunately, she has been stricken with many health complications but CF
is the culprit of many stolen dreams.
Stephanie is so like other kids but so limited in following her teenage type
urges. Rheumatoid arthritis keeps her on the sidelines when CF doesn’t. She
follows a no chocolate, no soda, low sodium diet but none of that seems to
matter to Steph. For most kids, the three things she has to avoid are at the
top of their food pyramid.
She has a tremendous passion for her family and racing.
Coming from a line of race car drivers makes her love of the sport natural.
Her maternal grandfather, Bill Weistart Sr. of Oglesby raced stock cars,
followed up by her uncle Billy Jr. who races a dirt late model.
Her most treasured racing hero, in front of Earnhardt, is a 34 year old
female that has been an inspiration and caregiver. It is none other than her
own mother, Tina.
Tina’s racing concluded in 2005, due to the family’s financial burdens, but
the smiles continue whenever a walk down memory lane is shared with
Stephanie.
Her mother not only raced but she accomplished what no other female had when
she was crowned the first female Midwestern Sportsman Track Champion at
LaSalle Speedway in 2005. The proudest of times for a child who seems to not
always have dreams come true.
Stephanie still proudly talks about the season when her mom was crowned a
champ. For now, those days and her hopes to be well enough to keep the
family tradition rolling are on hold.
Although racing brings out a powerful energy in this angelic teenager it
isn’t enough to keep her breathing. She has blonde straight hair and a smile
that could melt anyone’s heart. She is the type of child that within five
minutes you just feel like you’ve known her forever.
Stephanie has to cross the finish line of a double lung transplant at the
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, four hours from home, before any more of her
dreams can be fulfilled.
“Stephanie is amazing,” her mom told during a recent meeting. “She has been
through so much. This is really hard for her to be so far away and she can’t
keep in touch with her friends and family too easily.”
On November 13th, she was admitted to the St. Louis Children’s Hospital
following a check up by her transplant doctor. To become active on the
transplant list, there are many requirements including infection free. For
now, they are using intravenous medication to cure her current lung
infection. She also has to maintain her weight which is no easy task with
hospital food and being far away from everyone dear.
For now, her mother is packing on the miles traveling back and forth to take
care of family and her job at Flying J while staying strong for the entire
family.
“Flying J has been so good to work around Steph’s schedule,” said her mom.
“When the time comes we will officially move to St. Louis and hopefully get
her transplant quick.”
The move is mandatory for her to qualify for the transplant. Once a set of
lungs becomes available, the transplant doctor will be flown via a Lear jet
to personally inspect the lungs. Stephanie will begin the prep stages at the
hospital. If the lungs are free and clear of disease and meet the strict
criteria, she will be ready in the surgical room when the doctor returns.
Staying behind will be two of the most important male figures in her life.
At home, her big brother Nick, a high school sophomore, and their father
figure Brian will hold down the fort and wait for their return. The
relocation of mother and daughter to St. Louis will be hard but everyone
knows it is the only option to save her life.
“Being so far from everyone, especially Nick and Brian, is really difficult
for her. She wants a Laptop to help her keep in touch so bad it is heart
breaking, I just wish we could afford to give it to her,” Tina explained.
Due to the tremendous expenses the family has right now and ahead of them, a
benefit to help defray some of the burden is being held on December 8th. The
Knights of Columbus will be the site of this event in La Salle. Tickets are
$15, which will include dinner, beer and soda.
Local businesses have been donating items to be raffled off at the event.
The list is growing and already includes a golf course package at Senica’s
Oak Ridge, a skybox party at LaSalle Speedway, a Grand Bear Lodge family
suite worth over $300, overnight rooms at the Holiday Inn, Fairfield Inn,
LaQuinta, cash prizes and much more.
“We have been so lucky that our local businesses have been so generous to
us,” Tina Soberri acknowledged. “We really are grateful for everything
everyone has done.”
A fund has also been established for anyone wishing to make a donation.
Funds can be sent to: Benefit of Stephanie Soberri, c/o Eureka Savings Bank
101 N. Columbia Oglesby, IL 61348.
