Fort Dodge Senior High will hold a raffle during Friday night’s Homecoming game to benefit senior Justin Schild, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.

Schild, a member of the Dodger football team, was preparing for the upcoming season last month when he fell ill. Head coach Matt Miller confirmed on Thursday that, after a month of chemotherapy and radiation treatment in Des Moines, the cancer levels in Schild’s body are at less than one percent.

Schild is now back in school.

”Justin made it out to a practice earlier this week; I think it meant a lot to him to be around his teammates,” Miller said. ”He’s received encouraging news so far, but he still has a battle in front of him. We would like to help out with his medical expenses any way we can.

”Something like this puts everything into perspective in a hurry. Justin got hurt in practice and had been a little under the weather around the same time. The next thing you know, he’s being rushed to Des Moines. He’s a tough kid with a great support system here in Fort Dodge. And our program will always be there for him.”

Raffle tickets for a 50/50 halftime drawing will be sold at the game for $5 each, or three for $10.

Miller will be wearing an orange shirt on Friday in recognition of Schild’s leukemia fight.