Big Whiskey’s donating 10% of proceeds to child’s cancer treatments on Monday

Poplar Bluff preschooler Henry Osborn is in his fifth round of chemotherapy to battle the cancerous brain tumor he was diagnosed with in August 2024.

While the youngster is fighting the disease, the Poplar Bluff community has joined the crusade to help his family with the financial burden of the treatment and travel expenses. The latest fundraiser to help defray the cost will be Monday at Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar in Poplar Bluff. Donations will be 10% of all food sales for the day.

Henry’s father James Osborn explained it will be impossible for he and his wife to personally thank everyone for the amazing way they have helped.

“You don’t understand unless you‘ve been there,” he said. “We are so thankful and it’s hard not to be able to let everyone know how we feel.”

When Henry’s mother Chloe Osborn, who is a nurse, recognized something was off, she and James took him to see his doctor and in no time they were headed to St Louis Children’s Hospital.

The doctor informed the concerned parents Henry had a 10 cm tumor pushing on his brain stem and it needed to be removed immediately. Henry underwent an 8-hour long surgical procedure to remove the tumor. Everything went as well as could be hoped for, but the parents knew if the tumor was cancerous, Henry would need chemotherapy.

After his surgery and diagnoses the family tried to find somewhere to live in the St. Louis area. Former Poplar Bluffian Dr. Julie Farris invited them to stay with her, James Osborn said.

While they are friends now, James and Chloe didn’t know Farris then. Farris’ friend Drew Brown is friends of Chloe’s father and brother.

Farris told them she understands how difficult the situation was for them. Farris and her family have dealt with medical issues in their lives.

James Osborn said they have stayed with her during Henry’s chemotherapy cycles. Removing the burden of finding housing was “a great blessing,” he said.

Each cycle of Henry’s chemotherapy lasts between 18-21 days.

Chloe Osborn and the couple’s daughter Violet, who celebrated her first birthday on Jan. 16, stay with Henry while James comes home to work.

James Osborn said, “Henry is doing really good right now recovering. He has good energy, a good appetite.”

He added the treatments may make him “pretty weak.”

While the family stays with Henry, the Bluff Church in Poplar Bluff is raising money to help them. Some of the congregation designed an original T-shirt they sold to raise funds for the family. The shirt says “His fight is my fight” with the hashtag #teamhenry. They also sold key chains.

Other fundraising events were conducted by Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Inn, Outdoorsmen with a Mission and one woman who organized a vacation raffle.

A fund is set up through the Bluff Church and anyone wanting to donat may do so by going to thebluff.church and choosing The Henry Osborn Fund.