Rallying around Patrick Snider

Leigh Anne Walker, mother of South Rowan baseball player Dylan Walker, was able to collected an even 200 dollars from the crowd to be donated to the family of 16-year-old North Rowan baseball player Patrick Snider who is suffering from cancer. The collection was a spontaneous notion by South Rowan fans after seeing Snider's baseball jersey hanging on the fence of the North Rowan dugout. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

The jersy of 16-year-old North Rowan baseball player Patrick Snider hangs on the fence in the North Rowan dugout. Snider is fighting cancer. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

Leigh Anne Walker shows the hand made envelope that will hold the money to be given to the family of Patrick Snider. Walker, mother of South Rowan baseball player Dylan Walker, was able to collected an even 200 dollars from the crowd to be donated to the family of 16-year-old North Rowan baseball player Patrick Snider who is suffering from cancer. The collection was a spontaneous notion by South Rowan fans after seeing Snider's baseball jersey hanging on the fence of the North Rowan dugout. Photo by Jon C. Lakey, Salisbury Post.

By Kathy Chaffin

kchaffin@salisburypost

The Rowan County community continues to wrap its arms around 16-year-old Patrick Snider and his family.

The latest in a series of fundraisers for the North Rowan High School junior suffering from testicular cancer is a North Rowan Connection Choir benefit program scheduled for Sunday in the school auditorium. The benefit will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Patrick and his parents, Jennifer and David, and his sister, Megan Johnston, will be traveling to Indianapolis this weekend, where he will be treated by Dr. Lawrence Einhorn at the University of Indiana Medical Center. Einhorn treated Lance Armstrong, the seven-times-winner of the Tour de France, during his battle with testicular cancer.

Jennifer said the family should arrive at a Ronald McDonald House near the medical center on Sunday. Patrick, a pitcher for the Cavaliers baseball team, is scheduled to have a catheter put in on Monday to harvest stem cells from his bone marrow.

"They'll harvest those for two days," she said, "and then he'll start his chemo for three days. His chemo is supposed to be four to five times stronger than what he's had."

After that, Jennifer Snider said Patrick will rest for two days before half of the harvested stem cells are infused back into his body. The medical staff will watch him for 14 days after that, she said.

Patrick's mother said the treatment is expected to be done on an outpatient basis and that they should be gone for approximately a month.

The Snider family traveled to Indiana last week for a consultation with Einhorn. The oncologist recommended a treatment regimen for Patrick of stem cell replacement and a different combination of chemotherapy drugs than what he had been receiving.

Jennifer Snider said Patrick is in good spirits and is looking forward to returning to Indiana.

She said the family has been overwhelmed by the community support for Patrick expressed through various fundraisers. A "Praying for Patrick Snider" Facebook page now has more than 10,000 members.

"Please continue to pray for Patrick," his mother said.

Some of Patrick's friends from North Rowan and East Rowan high schools are planning a children's carnival fundraiser for Saturday, March 20, at the First Baptist Church's First Ministry Center in the former Rowan County YMCA building at 320 N. Fulton St. The carnival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Brittany Honeycutt, who is among seven students organizing the event, said there will all types of games and activities for children. Businesses and clubs are also being asked to participate.

Vendors will be selling food — including hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza — with part of the profits going to a fund set up to help with Patrick's medical expenses. Brittany said organizers will also be selling T-shirts that Emily Gobble, a sophomore at North, and Snider's girlfriend, Cailee McKeown of Mooresville, have had printed to raise money.

Green and yellow wristbands with the words — "P.S. No. 7 Keep up the Fight" — will also be on sale for $2.50 apiece.

An account for Snider has been set up at all F&M Banks in Rowan and Cabarrus counties. Any group or individual wanting to make a donation can make checks payable to NRHS Booster Club, Patrick Snider Fund.

Honeycutt, who goes to East Rowan, said she met Snider last summer and now counts him as one of her best friends.

Other students helping with the fundraiser are Haley Keever, Ryan Driver and Dorie Sapp from East Rowan and Lauren Edds, Ashtyn Kepley and Whitney Young of North Rowan.

Anyone interesting in helping with the fundraiser is asked to call Honeycutt at 704-223-7976.

Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-4249.