Hillel coffeehouse benefits sick infant

Ten-month-old Abby, niece of IU student Tasha Sharer, is one of only four people in the world diagnosed with the crippling immune disorder Chediak-Higashi syndrome.

On Thursday, IU Hillel organized a benefit modeled after a Coffeehouse open mic night to help Abby and her family.

“We’re just trying to help her as she fights the disease and help her mom and dad as much as we can,” Event Coordinator Sarah Glasser said.

The open-mic night featured 20 performers. Some sang songs, others played guitar and the Hillel Executive Board performed a poem about the events that happen at the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center every week. Max Queen sang two songs and played the guitar.

“It just turned out beautifully,” Queen said. “I’d say it’s a success so far.”

Challah bread and bracelets imprinted with the words “Help Baby Abby” were sold, and the room was dotted with Abby’s pictures.

Sharer was in attendance and offered support for her niece wherever possible.
“She’s the happiest baby in the world,” she said. “You would never know anything was wrong with her.”

A basket was passed around after each act for donations. The act that received the most money would receive a prize.

The family might have to pay $80,000 out of pocket for medical costs, junior and Hillel President Melody Mostow said.

This past week has been full of events for Abby that came together in a
matter of weeks.

“We wanted to try to move quickly,” Mostow said. “Obviously, with something like this, the sooner the better.”

Abby’s family is split up at the moment. Abby’s mother is currently attending to Abby, who is receiving treatment in Cincinnati. Abby’s brother is staying with grandparents, and Abby’s father is working.

“It’s a really devastating thing for a family to experience,” Mostow said. “For a baby that goes through so much, she looks like a cute, happy baby.”

Abby has had a bone marrow transplant and three rounds of chemotherapy. No one with the disease has lived past age 10, Mostow said.

Lisa Cook, one of the leaders of Aish, a Jewish organization on campus, helped with the event and has even visited Abby in the hospital.

She said Abby’s mom has to take care of her all day, every day, mostly by herself. She also said her mom saves all the cards Abby receives.

“It’s giving her so much encouragement. It drives her,” Cook said. “It was one of the most powerful experiences of my entire life.”