Anthony Rizzo Replaces Signed Photo Stolen From Girl With Cancer

CHICAGO, IL -- A girl from Highland, Illinois, has been battling brain cancer in St. Louis Children's Hospital. Abby Schrage, 12, kept an autographed photo of Chicago Cubs' player Anthony Rizzo in her hospital room, but her family said the picture has been stolen. Her mother, Jill Schrage, said the photo "meant the world" to her daughter.

“I just kind of hoped it would brighten her spirits, help cheer her up especially since Anthony Rizzo also had childhood cancer himself," the mother told KMOV-TV. "That’s a great inspiration to show her when you are done with this battle nothing can stop you."

After hearing about the missing photo, Rizzo sent the girl another autographed photo, in addition to an autographed jersey.

Last year, Abby Schrage was diagnosed with two germinoma brain tumors. After recovering, she relapsed in May of this year and had to undergo a bone-marrow transplant last month.

The 12-year-old's volleyball team started a GoFundMe page to raise money to help pay for travel and medical costs, as well as many other expenses. Abby has a brother and two sisters.

"Over the next days, weeks, and months ahead they will need to be at countless doctor appointments, treatments, and hospital stays. As you can imagine the normal costs of every day living...such as home, food, gas, car, etc... and now the added medical costs can be astronomical," the family posted on the fundraising page.

Abby and her mom are Cubs fans, and her dad is a St. Louis Cardinals fan.

Both photos courtesy of Jill Schrage