Flames Women's Basketball Wants You To Help Somebody's Hero

Somebody's Hero Order Form

CHICAGO - On Tuesday, Nov. 23 when the UIC women's basketball team hosts the cross-town rival DePaul Blue Demons in one of the most anticipated non-conference games of the season, the focus will not only be on the hoops, but also on benefitting "Somebody's Hero."

"Somebody's Hero" is the Kathleen Meyers-Grabemann Chapter of the Leukemia Research Foundation which was formed in 1996 to pay tribute to Kathleen's indomitable spirit, and continue the fight against leukemia that Kathy so bravely fought.

Meyers-Grabemann was a talented three-sport athlete at Loyola University in Chicago where, in addition to excelling on the volleyball court and softball diamond, she was a teammate and best friend of current UIC women's basketball coach Lisa Ryckbosch on the hardwood in Rogers Park. The former standout graduated from Loyola in 1985 magna cum laude with degrees in criminal justice and political science. After coaching volleyball for a year at her alma mater, Niles North High School, the Morton Grove, Ill. native enrolled at Notre Dame where she earned her law degree in 1989.

On Sept. 13, 1995, Meyers-Grabemann was diagnosed with leukemia. After three intense rounds of chemotherapy the disease had been in remission for six months. In March 1996, the disease returned and the mother of a newborn daughter, Kaily, learned she would need a bone marrow transplant to overcome the crippling disease.

Kathy was able to find a match off the bone marrow registry, but 20 days into her transplant, she contracted an infection that ultimately took her life.

"Somebody's Hero" was the brainchild of Kathy. In the years since she has passed there have been several events that have been heldin conjunction with the Leukemia Research Foundation to memorialize Meyers-Grabemann and raise awareness about leukemia.

On Tuesday, Nov. 23, the next in that series of events will take place at the UIC Pavilion. That night the Flames welcome in head coach Doug Bruno and his highly-touted DePaul Blue Demons team. Bruno served as the associate head coach of Loyola's men's team when Meyers-Grabemann and Ryckbosch played for the women's team in Rogers Park. Ryckbosch also served as an assistant at DePaul for several years before assuming her current role at UIC.

The evening will begin with a pre-game meal and chalk talk sessions by both Bruno and Ryckbosch in the Dragon's Den at 6 p.m. Tip-off for the non-conference showdown is set for 7 p.m., but the evening doesn't end there. Following the game, the excitement will move to Lizzie McNeil's Irish Pub in the Streeterville neighborhood for a post-game celebration.

Tickets to the game are only $10, $7 of which will be donated directly back to the Somebody's Hero Chapter of the Leukemia Research Foundation if the tickets are purchased in advance. Tickets for the pre-game meal are $10 and there will be a cash bar at Lizzie McNeil's. It promises to be a memorable evening, so don't miss out and purchase tickets now. The deadline to order is Nov. 16.

For tickets or more information, please call Jonathan Butler at 312-355-0283 or click on the order form at the top of the page.