The 14th annual Pig Bowl, a friendly flag football game between Oregon and Washington law enforcement officer teams, will be Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at Wahtonka Football Field.
The game and all its surrounding events are intended as fun and competition for two good causes, both of which help Gorge law officers and their families. Each year, according to organizer Michael Hollaran, an Oregon State Trooper, families are chosen from both side of the river to receive funds from the evening’s activities. All proceeds this year will be distributed between the Marble family of Dallesport and the Anderson family of Hood River.
Deputy Mike Anderson of Hood River County Sheriff’s Office was diagnosed with colon cancer this summer and is unable to work. Funds will provide help during Mike’s ongoing chemotherapy treatments.
Abby Marble, 10, daughter of Wasco County Deputy Gaven Marble and his wife, Megan Routson Marble, has incurable neurological Mitochondrial Disorder; funds will help pay for a wheelchair accessible van for the family.
In the family’s story on pigbowl.net, the Andersons report that Mike had not been feeling well off and on starting in March 2016. On June 23, the day of their ninth wedding anniversary, Mike and Heidi found out that Mike may have a tumor.
“On June 28, the day after our son Chase’s fourth birthday, our worst fear was confirmed when Mike was diagnosed with colon cancer. A week later Mike underwent surgery to remove the tumor and determined that his cancer was Stage 3. After some time recovering from major surgery he had his first chemotherapy treatment on Aug. 8. He will now be having chemotherapy treatments for the next six months.
“Mike has been off work since July 1. At this point we are not sure what the future holds as we are just starting out on this journey. Returning to work will depend greatly on how his chemotherapy treatments go and there are a lot of unknowns ahead. When Mike was a young child, his father died tragically in a car crash. We are told that colon cancer can be hereditary, but losing his father so early in life, we do not know much about family history. Regular screening for colon cancer is not recommended until age 50. Since Mike is younger than the average person with this disease, he had no way to know this was happening to him. Mike has spent his life giving to others, to his country, to his community, and to his family. Thank you for supporting us during this uncertain time.”
Heidi also works for the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office and is a 911 Dispatcher & Training Coordinator. Together they have a son, Chase, who is 4 years old. Mike also has a 21-year-old daughter, Andrea, and a 7 month old granddaughter, Olivia.
The Marbles write: “It was Valentines Day 2007, Abby was 6 months old and we were headed to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital to have her appointment. Her appointment went well, but there were going to be many tests ahead. We had MRI’s, a nerve test where they inserted small metal rods into her arms, no numbing, and used electrical shock to see if her muscles reacted, many blood tests and finally muscle, nerve, and tissue biopsies. Finally we got the diagnosis, Mitochondrial Disorder. There is no cure and her type is not able to be treated. Our only options were to do therapy and a special vitamin regimen to keep her healthy for as long as we have her. We have been told that her condition will take her life before adulthood.” In 2010, Abby spent 135 days in the hospital with line infections and many other illnesses.” Her mother writes, “I remember one stay, she was so ill we thought she wouldn’t make it home. But she pulled through again. The next three years, we were in the hospital anywhere from 60-75 days a year. Her condition causes any little illness or cold to cause her colon to stop working and she ends up throwing up for days, thus the long hospital stays. Thru it all, God gave us the strength to continue, one day at a time!”
How to Help
Game admission is $3 per person, $10 family.
Money will be raised in more ways than just the flag football game between law enforcement teams. There will be food and other concessions, kids activities, and a live auction with prizes including a football signed by Seattle Seahawk player Richard Sherman. You can also help by pre-purchasing a touchdown or two on the website: pigbowl.net
The pigbowl.net website reminds its players, “the primary purpose of the Pig Bowl is to raise money for someone in the community. With that being the focus, the players who have the opportunity to participate should keep in mind that the game should be played for the fun and entertainment.
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