The Sabo Family will be hosting a fundraiser for Arlene Sabo at the Cochrane Legion starting at 7 p.m. on Aug. 9, featuring a potluck, silent auction and a DJ.
Ron Sabo, Arlene’s husband, said she has been battling cancer for over four years and recently the cancer has metastasized to various parts of her body.
The Sabos have been living in Cochrane for 18 years and all three of their children have been raised in Cochrane.
Ron described his wife as a giving person who enjoys helping out in the community wherever she can — whether it’s raising money for the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation or volunteering countless hours for Cochrane Minor Hockey.
Arlene has driven a school bus for 14 years, which Ron said says a lot about her character.
“She has touched a lot of the families in and around Cochrane, because she has driven around Cochrane, Springbank and Bearspaw,” he said.
Ron said Arlene has chosen to complete alternative treatment in Germany at the Hufeland Klinik for Holistic Immunotherapy. According to the facility’s website, the clinic “specializes in internal medicine and is mainly targeted at biological treatment of chronically ill patients and patients with cancer to strengthen their bodies’ own immune systems.”
She began her treatment in Germany on July 1 and it is expected to take around eight weeks. The treatment costs $1,000 per day and is not covered by insurance or Alberta Health.
Ron said they have already spent $50,000 for the treatment and they are hoping to raise $75,000 at the fundraiser. He added there might be other costs for further therapy once the treatment is finished.
He said Arlene has tried to be very healthy — eating well and exercising to try and build her immune system — something Ron said an oncologist has helped her with.
Items at the silent auction include golf passes for Wintergreen Golf and Country Club and the Cochrane Golf Club, gift baskets and paintings.
Donations can be made by cheque payable to “Ron Sabo In Trust”, or donating via “Ron Sabo In Trust” at any ATB Financial.
