Imagine your 12-year-old has cancer. You’d want help, right? SO LET’S HELP.

Imagine that you’re at a pool party at your friends’ house with your son, a full-of-life, baseball-loving 12-year-old. Next thing you know, he is very ill and in extreme pain. A day or two later, he’s taken into brain surgery and diagnosed as having Medullablastoma, which according to Children’s Hospital of Boston is the “most common central nervous system tumor of childhood“. The tumors have been removed. But a month later, your child starts radiation, five days a week for six straight weeks along with weekly chemotherapy. A month after that, your son endures numerous cycles of chemo. By this point, he is incredibly weak and needs leg braces to get around. At the end of the last chemo cycle, you receive the horrific news that the tumors have returned and spread throughout his brain and spine. So your beloved child starts a different type of chemo. But, a few weeks later, an MRI reveals that it is not working as it should be.

“Tumor of childhood” has to be one of most awful phrases ever, don’t you think? These are three words that should never be together. For any parent, really any human being with a beating heart, it’s positively unthinkable. Not for the Niebler family of Waukesha, Wisconsin, the family for which this story is excruciatingly real, because they have been living it for just over a year. Meet Andy Niebler, the 12-year-old about whom we are speaking. People who know Andy personally describe him as a great kid with a smile that lights up a room and brings joy to those around him. They say his whole family is warm, and caring, and funny with a fun-loving, optimistic attitude and a tremendous love for life.

Six key ways you can help Andy and his family through the 3 on 3 for Niebs Cancer Sucks fundraiser

Again, imagine if this story was YOU or YOUR CHILD. You’d want help, right? An incredible, caring, dedicated group of The Nieblers’ friends and neighbors have organized a basketball tournament - 3 on 3 for Niebs – as a fundraiser for Andy and his family, to help defray medical expenses. The event is on Sunday, August 7 at Center Court in Waukesha. Here’s a map to the event. ALL PROCEEDS from this event (except food concessions) are going directly to Andy and his family.

1. Register a team for the tournament. Have some fun and get some exercise for a great cause. Team registration closes on Saturday, July 16, so do it now!

2. Attend the event. It only costs $2, and in addition to the basketball tournament, there will be a silent auction, raffle and family fun like clowns, face painting and balloon artists.

3. Donate an item to the silent auction. E-mail 3on3forNiebs@gmail.com or find @3on3forNiebs on Twitter.

4. If you can’t make the event, you can still make a contribution through the event website. Every donation, regardless of size, is extremely appreciated by the Niebler family and the the organizers.

5. Become a sponsor: E-mail 3on3forNiebs@gmail.com or find @3on3forNiebs on Twitter.

6. Volunteer: Refs and scorekeepers are needed, along with other day-of-event support. E-mail 3on3forNiebs@gmail.com or find @3on3forNiebs on Twitter.

And, of course, continue spreading the word and offering #prayers4andy (the hashtag on Twitter). I know we’re all pulling and praying for Andy and his family. So let’s pull together and offer them as much support as we possibly can. Liking them on Facebook and tweeting and retweeting and blogging and above all, praying, are FANTASTIC. But we can do more.

Give a few bucks. Show up at the event. Donate an auction item, or become a sponsor. Please. Do. All. You. Can.

Peace and love – Spaight