Huntley girls soccer 'Plays for Payton'

HUNTLEY – At this point, the Felde family cannot do any more. Their daughter, 3-year-old Payton, has taken all of the chemotherapy for her liver cancer that her body can handle.

So they have to hope. Hope that the treatments Payton has received have worked. Hope that the up and down road they have traveled will end in recovery.

On Thursday night, the Huntley girls soccer team joined them in that hope, raising money toward the family's medical expenses with a “Play 4 Payton” fundraiser. After the game, the Felde family joined the team on the sideline and the scene hit home as many of the girls began to cry.

“It is seriously amazing the amount of courage that young girl shows every day,” senior captain Abby Nordeen said, fighting back tears. “Everything that we have going on in our lives seems so small to the fight that Payton has gone through. She is so much stronger than I could ever be.”

Payton, who was diagnosed in October, is currently in a four-week evaluation period. After having surgery, Payton has at times shown signs of progress but also missed some post-surgical goals.

“We just have to take things day by day,” Ryan Felde said. “When she has her good days, we have to cherish them. She is so smart and knows so much more than we thought she ever could, and even tells us ‘I’m getting better’ and ‘It doesn’t hurt so much’.”

Lauren Felde is a Huntley High School teacher. And, in support of her, the family and Payton, coach Kris Grabner and the entire girls soccer team wanted to show their support.

With two weeks left until Payton and her family receive more information from their oncologist about Payton's status, $10,000 has been raised toward the goal of $1 million to help the family with medical expenses.

“This Huntley organization and the community have been incredible,” Lauren Felde said. “It’s so comforting when you have people who legitimately care about our daughter and what our family has gone through.”