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Matt and Jessica Tranowski at Sallyfest on Saturday. afternoon.
When Lauren Brazel was pregnant with twin boys, Charlie and Frank, she and her husband Ryan learned that the boys had experienced twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
According to the National Institute of Health, twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome is a rare pregnancy condition affecting identical twins or other multiples. TTTS occurs in pregnancies where twins share one placenta (afterbirth) and a network of blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients essential for development in the womb.
In utero, Frank was the donor twin and was without oxygen for an unknown amount of time, which resulted in brain damage. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, cortical vision impairment, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and traumatic brain injury.
Now, at the age of 8, Frank is non-ambulatory and requires assistance throughout the day.
Local area residents gathered together for a generous day of giving and togetherness for the Bazel family, along with the Oliver and Tranowski family, for the third annual Sallyfest, a benefit to support families battling illness, which took place on Saturday, September 14, at Clancy’s 95th Irish Tavern.
“I don’t even have words to express how grateful we are,” Frank’s dad, Ryan, of New Lenox and formerly Mt. Greenwood, said. “We have never asked for help. This was just our life. It’s really amazing and this is truly what the South Side is all about.”
The fundraising effort is held in honor of Sally Foy, a Mt. Greenwood resident who died of cancer in 2020, according to Clancy’s owner, Kevin O’Kennedy.
“Sally raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Make a Wish and other charities before she succumbed to cancer,” O’Kennedy said. “The community has been great to us, and we just want to give back. The Clancy family took up the torch to honor Sally’s memory.”
Over the past few years, the fundraiser has grown tremendously, and in honor of Foy, the Sallyfest Foundation, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, was started in her honor in 2022.
O’Kennedy is also president of the foundation which is made up of South Side residents and several representatives from local community organizations.
“Sally was an inspiration and helped so many kids going through life threatening illnesses, this year, we have three local families that need help,” he said. “I love that since Clancy’s opened, the support this community has shown for those in need is amazing. This is exactly what the South Side is about, coming together to support one another.”
The recipients this year, along with young Frank Brazel, were the Oliver and Tranowski families.
As Frank continues to grow, funds will be used to help make his home more handicap accessible, including modifications to the home’s first level and bathroom.
“The amount of love and support we have received is unbelievable,” Frank’s mother, Lauren, said. “This will allow us to provide him with comfort during his final years.”
Another recipient of the benefit is a single mother of two. Bridgette Oliver, of Mt. Greenwood, is battling stage 4 metastatic cervical cancer.
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Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer and Clancy’s owner, Kevin O’Kennedy at Sallyfest on September 14.
The Tranowskis, Jessica and Matt, of Oak Lawn, have three young children. In September 2023, Jessica was diagnosed with breast cancer. During the course of the past year, Jessica has gone through several rounds of chemotherapy and multiple operations.
“Going through what she (Jessica) has gone through – words cannot even describe what this means to us,” Jessica’s husband, Matt, said. “We picked Oak Lawn to raise our family in and to feel the amount of support from the area during our tough time is incredible.”
The fundraising efforts will help to alleviate medical costs for all three of these families, O’Kennedy said.
O’Kennedy, whose descendants came to the United States from Ireland, is originally from Detroit. However, he is no stranger to the Irish pub business. He owns two in Hawaii named Mulligan’s. When he fell in love with his sweetheart, Katie Clancy, who is a South Side girl, he named his next bar after her, which just happened to be none other than Clancy’s.
“Clancy’s a real friendly atmosphere with a family-friendly environment,” O’Kennedy said. “We are here in the community and for the community.”
Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer could not agree more.
“Kevin and his business represent the charity of our Oak Lawn business community,” Vorderer said. “He is a such a tremendously generous person.”
Under O’Kennedy’s guidance, the Sallyfest committee opened up nominations this year in April and selected the finalists.
“It really all came to fruition during Saturday’s benefit,” O’Kennedy said. “These are beautiful people with beautiful families.”
Guests enjoyed a pig roast buffet, drinks and live music by bands Gotham 3, Richie Z, AA & The Relapse and Bad Hand. There was also a split-the-pot raffle and more than 50 generously stuffed raffle baskets.
Sallyfest was proudly sponsored by Ellengee Market, Terry and Annie Grant, the McSweeny family, Logos Dental Ceramics, VFW Post 9545, Reilley’s Daughter, Brickman Masonry, Saul and Joyce, Phil Cali State Farm, James Ryan O’Donnell, the Memorial Foundation, Thomas and Susan Brodrick, Style Exteriors by Corley, Birdie’s, Sharon Oliver, Brad Grove, Shaun Murphy, Bill O’Hare, and the Brazel Foundation.
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Local area residents gathered together for the third annual Sallyfest, a benefit to support of families battling illness, took place on September 14, Clancy’s 95th Irish Tavern.