Cedar Lake –

Sometimes, all the difference in the world can be made by one person who decides to care. This small community in western Indiana is getting a lesson on caring for others from one high school sophomore this year. During a recent visit to the hospital, Abby McCambell found out her classmate Haley Wigboldy was there too, but her friend was too sick to see any visitors because she had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins, B-cell lymphoma.

Abby remembered how her own step-father had been supported not long ago by the people of this community while he was undergoing cancer treatment, and she decided to act. Abby approached local businesses to see if she could raise enough money to print out around 50 t-shirts to help Haley’s family pay for some of the expensive medical treatments that she would have to undergo to save her life. Abby ended up with enough donated funds to print 350 shirts.

The “Haley Strong” t-shirts have so far raised over $7,000 for the Wigboldy family and shown to local students that caring for others is possible. “It feels good, and it shows there’s still good people in this world,” said Abby to NWI.com. “A lot of the people didn’t even know who she was.”

Haley is sometimes overwhelmed by the support. “I was shocked at first. It kind of took me back,” Haley said to NWI.com. “There have been a lot of people who I don’t even know, and they’re been just telling me how much [they are] there for me.”

Abby isn’t done helping her friend. On May 4th, her step-father’s motorcycle club will be holding a “Haley Strong” fundraiser to continue the efforts. This event, the second annual Hoosier Hooligans, where a priest will bless motorcycles before the start of the riding season, will be held at St. Matthias Roman Catholic Church, 101 W. Burrell Drive in Crown Point, begins at 11am. Tickets for the general public are $10 and all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Wigboldy family to continue to support them in this trying time.

If you would like to purchase a “Haley Strong” t-shirt, please call Abby’s mom Melissa at 708-828-1909.

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