Willow Tolly
On April 5 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Edwardsville, Love Me Leave Me and The Limit will put on a three-hour concert, Rock For Willow, with proceeds benefitting Willow Tolly and her family.
Willow Tolly, 16, recently underwent a total pancreatectomy with auto islet cell transplant at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis to cure her chronic pancreatitis. All money raised will assist the Tolly family with medical and travel expenses. Willow is a vivacious, charismatic and faith- filled teen. In the last three years, she has been plagued with pancreatic attacks. These attacks have ravaged her body, limited her ability to attend school and diminished her quality of life. The 12-hour surgery removed her pancreas, spleen, gall bladder and a portion of her small intestine. The surgery also transplanted islet cells from her pancreas to her liver with the hopes that she will continue to produce insulin. This surgery is expected to bring improved health to Willow, as well as cease her severe pancreatic attacks. She will be in Minneapolis for two months or longer; when she returns she will continue the recovery process.
Rock for Willow is being planned by two Edwardsville High School students, Alan Bonk and Caroline Barker. The event will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Edwardsville Knights of Columbus Hall, 7132 Marine Road. Two high school bands, Love Me Leave Me and The Limit, will perform. Tickets for the event are $5 in advance or $7 at the door. Food and drinks, as well as Annie’s Frozen Custard, will be available for purchase. All ages are welcome, and children younger than 10 are free. Door prizes will be awarded, raffle items will be available, and a 50/50 drawing will be held.
For information, email info@LoveMeLeaveMeBand.com, call Alan at 618-741-3293 or join the Facebook event Rock for Willow.