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Moms from Struthers Little Wildcats plan charity dinner for mom in need
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Leslie Carson with her sons Noah, 9, center, and Christian, 15. Leslie suffers from cancer, and some parents from the Struthers Little Wildcats and other community members will host a spaghetti dinner Sept. 13 to help pay for her treatments.
STRUTHERS
The Struthers Little Wildcats football team has raised money in the past for the team by hosting a spaghetti dinner.
Some of the parents from the team, along with community members, are hosting another spaghetti dinner Sept. 13. This time, however, the money will go to help a single mother whose cancer has progressed in the past couple of weeks.
Leslie Carson, a Struthers resident and single mother of two who have been on the Wildcats team, serves as a team trustee. She works full time for Youngstown City Schools and part time for an Internet cafe.
“She’s always done a lot of work on top of running her two boys around to practices and making sure their homework’s done,” said David Carson, Leslie’s brother and a Struthers resident.
Leslie Carson, 42, was diagnosed with breast cancer almost three years ago, but her brother said that never stopped her from working, helping the Struthers Little Wildcats or being a mom.
Last year, though, David Carson said his sister was diagnosed with lung cancer, and about a month ago, he said doctors noticed it had spread to her spine and liver, as well.
He said she has had to withdraw more from her work, family and help with the football team in order to go through chemotherapy.
Friends who also help out with the Struthers Little Wildcats said they were shocked to hear of her condition.
“I never even knew about the breast cancer she got years ago,” said Nicole Sakara, who is involved with the Struthers Little Wildcats and is Leslie Carson’s friend. “But then she was in and out of the hospital the past four months. Three weeks ago they found those spots, so it was kind of shocking. It’s a bad situation.”
“We knew she was sick, but we didn’t know the severity of it,” said Jen Patterson, another friend who also is involved with the Wildcats.
Patterson said as soon as she and a few other people involved with the Wildcats found out about Leslie’s situation about three weeks ago, they decided to put together a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for her, just like they’ve done for the team.
The “Team Leslie” spaghetti dinner will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. Sept. 13 at St. Nick’s Great Hall on Fifth Street. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for kids and free to children 4 and under.
Patterson said all guests will receive a plate of spaghetti, meatballs and sausage, along with salad, bread and a piece of cake.
Patterson said she and a handful of other moms have stepped up to plan the “Team Leslie” spaghetti dinner. So far, she said they have sold 250 tickets. She hopes they can get up to 500 people in attendance.
David Carson said he is unsure whether his sister will make it to her charity event, as she might still be in the hospital. He said he plans to attend, along with Leslie’s sons, Christian and Noah.
“Some of these people are selflessly giving up their time, money and effort for this,” he said. “I am absolutely, completely appreciative that people outside our family thought that much about her to do something like this for her.”