As 8-year-old Molly Morris battles stage four cancer, support around Chicago's Northwest Side is growing for her and her family.
This weekend, several businesses on near Molly's neighborhood will hold fundraisers to benefit her family.
“It makes all of us just feel amazed,” family friend Debbie Ingargiola said. “It’s just amazing to see the outpouring of love and support from all the businesses.”
Orange ribbons could be seen all over Norwood Park on Thursday night in support of Molly and her family.
“They’re just a family who’s put so much into our schools and our parish community and we just wanted to do everything that we can to support them during all of this,” she said.
The third grader at St. Monica Academy was diagnosed with stage four kidney cancer in May 2021, and is now undergoing treatment at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
“To have beaten it once already and for it to come back so quickly after she just rang the bell is just devastating,” she said.
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Several restaurants in her neighborhood continue to rally round her family.
Dino’s Pizza on West Higgins Avenue is covering lunch Friday afternoon for her medical staff and Friday night selling Molly Strong t-shirts to benefit Molly, her sister and her parents.
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“The families that are involved in this support for Molly and her family is tremendous,” said Dino’s Pizza co-owner Bianca Henniges. “It’s just how it is here in Norwood Park.”
The owner of Los Azares Mexican Grill in Chicago’s Edison Park told NBC 5 all of their sales on Saturday at their Harlem location will go to Molly.
“I think this community is great in that sense everybody backs each other up, everybody supports each other,” said Madgalena Soria. “Something happens and people just jump in—you feel the support, you feel the love.”
While Soria has never met Molly and her family before, she felt the need to help and says this is what community is all about.
“Stay strong,” she said. “Our hearts are with them, our prayers are with them and we hope for the best for Molly. If there’s anything that we can do aside from this just let us know.”
A candlelit walk for Molly will take place Sunday at 5 p.m. at the East Lot Metra in Edison Park. Everyone in the community is invited to attend.
Click here to follow Molly's journey.
