Lemont Family Sells Flowers, Raises Funds For Rare Appendix Cancer

LEMONT, IL — One Lemont family is raising both money and awareness after a family member's cancer diagnosis. Liz Reinhardt's mother Carol was diagnosed with a rare appendix cancer in February 2017, only months after her May 2016 retirement from her job as a principal in Lockport.

Soon after her diagnosis, Carol decided to create "forever flowers" and sell them with all proceeds going toward the Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation.

Reinhardt said her mom had the idea to sell flowers after visiting an antique fair.

"It was really her idea for [the flowers], I just took it to the next level for people and awareness to come together," Reinhardt said.

Reinhardt added that, "Both my parents are creative and my father used to redo and bring antique furniture back to life."

Carol picks out the glass for the flowers from the Lemont Goodwill and engraves "forever 2017" on them.

"She is the final say in our family production because she is the one that wants them all to be perfect for either someone's garden or desk feature," Reinhardt said. She added she has been using Facebook to spread the word, and the family started selling the flowers at a rapid pace.

"Raising awareness it the best we can do right now," Reinhardt said. "When everything else fails, what is there left to do other than inspire and educate others around us?"

Reinhardt said the idea has quickly grown, and they have people coming in from all over to pick up flowers. She started a Facebook group so she could post flowers on the page, and she said they sell out of each flower every day.

The family will hold an open garage at 1264 Eagle Crest Drive in Lemont, where the flowers will be available for $35 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9. All proceeds will go toward ACPMP.

For more information, you can visit their Facebook page: Forever Flowers by Carol. You can see photos of the flowers on Instagram @foreverflowerscarol. For more information about ACPMP, visit their website.

Photos provided by Liz Reinhardt.