McLain wins raffle to help Finnley Grace Foster

A Havre man was announced as the winner of an original painting in a raffle that raised funds to help a young local child fighting a rare immune disease.

Steve McLain won the painting named “Finnley,” of a Hereford cow, that Corey Stremcha painted and donated to be raffled off to benefit 3-year-old Finnley Grace Foster, who is in Seattle being treated for severe combined immune deficiency.

The painting had been on display at Triple Dog Brewing Co., where the drawing was held Sunday.

Stermcha’s mother, Lorna Stremcha, said her son doesn’t know the Fosters, but felt compelled to help. The raffle earned $3,500, which was deposited in the account for Finnley at Independence Bank, Stremcha said.

People bought 191 tickets, and a press release said Corey Stremcha wanted to thank JM Donoven Designs in Fine Jewelry and Norman’s Ranch and Sportswear for helping sell tickets, Triple Dog for displaying the piece and its patrons for buying it, and “a special thank-you to all of you who purchased a ticket or tickets from Arizona, Utah and the Big State of Montana.”

He also thanked CTA Architects and Engineers for the use of their printers to make posters and tickets, and to their employees for buying tickets.

Friends also have set up a Facebook page, Prayers for Finnley Grace, and a GoFundMe Account, Finnley Grace’s Medical Care, where people can help the family with their expenses.

Numerous fundraisers have been held to help the family with their expenses during Finnley’s treatment, which has essentially been her entire life.

Finnley’s parents, Pat and Katie, took her to the hospital when she was 4 months old for blood tests after they discovered a rash on their baby, Stremcha said in an article about Finnley and the raffle.

Doctors suspected leukemia and she was flown to Seattle Children’s Hospital for tests.

After more than two weeks of tests, they found her immune deficiency, and she has spent most of her life in treatment. She had to have weekly infusions, and she and her parents had to fly to Seattle every six months.

In 2017, she tested positive for norovirus and was taken to the hospital in Great Falls and then was back in Seattle, where she and her parents have been since May 29, 2017.

Stremcha wrote that now, Finnley has undergone gastrointestinal procedures, infusions and a bone marrow transplant. She cited Finnley’s mother as saying the child is growing and maturing and doctors are pleased with her progress, but undergoes platelet transfusions weekly and, as of June 14, has received 31 blood transfusions and 56 platelet transfusions.

Stremcha said Finnley’s mother, Katie, said her daughter is scheduled for tests July 10 and if they are negative the doctors will start to reduce her medication, but warned the family her immune system remains fragile.

“Life is really tough. Really tough.” Katie wrote in a Facebook post. “Keep praying, please. She has to fight every day. It’s not fair. But it’s an every single day fight. She is a rockstar. She is my fearless warrior princess. She is Wonder Woman.”