High school garage band raises money for boy battling tumors
UPDATED: The video portion of this story expresses some inaccuracies. The young boy has an extremely rare condition called atypical choroid plexus papilloma. He is undergoing treatment for tumors that are non cancerous.
NILES, Mich. -- “We are such good friends, and we have really good chemistry between the 5 of us, so it really helps with the long days when we are playing, it really helps,” says Hayden Seggerman, member of the Toona’s.
The Toona’s have been playing together since they were in the 6th grade. The band of best friends play everything from rock to country to pop with even some original songs. On Wednesday night, however, the Toona’s will be performing for a cause beyond just a good beat.
Bandmate Abbie Hubbard’s younger brother, Colton, was first diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 7. Despite undergoing surgery to remove it, at 11 years old the tumor returned in his brain, now with some growth even in his spine. Currently, Colton is receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota after a MRI showed three more tumor growths in his brain at just 14 years old.
The Toona’s are now taking to the stage to raise money for his medical treatments and transportation. The show will take place at the Niles Outdoor Dining Experience at Second and Main with food provided by Jim's Smokin’ Café. The event start runs from 7 – 10 p.m. Many other businesses in the area are also lending a hand! The Brass Eye and Pizza Transit both plan to donate portions of the sales to Colton’s cause.
And Colton himself, will be able to hear his sister sing surrounded by people supporting him.
“We are going to livestream the event for him to watch, and he is really excited because he is off in Minnesota right now for his radiation, and I think he is really excited that the community came together and his sister could help out and be there,” says Abbie Hubbard, member of the Toona’s.
The Hubbard family says it means the world to know that their friends, neighbors and perfect strangers are all rallying behind them.
“My entire family, we are very grateful for the community that we live in, and everyone is so giving to us, and we very much appreciate it,” says Abbie. “It really shows the power of community and how everyone can come together for a little boy.”
And there are so many ways you can show your support! If you can’t make it out, you can watch the live stream of the concert from home here. You can also donate to the cause on Venmo @The-Toonas. If you are interested in learning more about the Toona’s or buying a band t-shirt in support of Colton, visit here.