Search results matching tag 'cancer'

Salem toddler beats cancer, now parents want to help

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:41:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

When John Rufo learned his baby daughter had a cancerous tumor on her kidney, he stepped out of the hospital emergency room and vomited in the parking lot.

“How can anything go wrong with a 10-month-old baby, especially my child? It’s such a young age. It’s something that is just unfathomable,” he said. “Children are supposed to be untouchable. You let them grow and experience and become adults. You expect that to happen to older people, not to children.”

Diane Rufo, an occupational therapist, felt the hard lump of a Wilms’ tumor on Milana’s side a year ago and knew instantly something was very wrong with her bubbly, wide-eyed daughter. There was no time to stop and think or let the bad news sink in, she said.

“You put your head down and you plow right through,” Diane said.

On the advice of pediatrician Susan Brown, the Rufos drove straight to Children’s Hospital in Boston. Milana spent two weeks there, undergoing surgery to have her right kidney removed on Halloween last year.

From there it was a whirlwind of daily doctors appointments, chemotherapy and radiation, Diane said. Throughout, the couple dealt with their worries as Milana’s weight dropped and hair fell out as she underwent treatment. There were no more trips to the park or play dates. Relatives were asked not to drop by for fear Milana might catch a cold. One trip to the isolation chamber for a mild case of the flu was enough, Diane said.

But now Milana is on the mend – her last round of chemotherapy ended in June – and pent-up emotions have poured out.

“You’re so busy, you don’t really have time to get depressed,” Diane said. “After everything was done we both fell apart.”

John still feels the anxiety of the past year. He calls his wife daily to check on Milana.

“She’s out of the woods and you sit back and look at her and she’s running and playing and laughing and then it hits home, more or less like a wake-up call: this terrible thing had taken our daughter,” John said. “Everything comes kind of like a freight train in a way. You step back and sometimes I cry for no reason, just looking at her.”

Out of the three of them, Milana may have taken it the best. She’s quick to smile and eager to share her toys – though not for too long – despite her ordeal. She was a “trooper,” Diane said, Milana kissing her nurses’ hands even during injections or when they’d draw blood.

But if Milana walks away with no more than a few surgical scars, Diane and John will live with what they saw during daily trips to the hospital: dozens of children as sick or more so than their daughter.

To help, the couple has partnered with friends they made since last Halloween to coordinate local blood drives for cancer patients.

It’s the least they can do, John and Diane said. They received a lot over support over the past year and want to pay it forward. Treating Milana cost $300,000, which the family was able to offset through fundraising, social services, insurance and help from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jimmy Fund. They also received a lot of emotional support from friends, co-workers and doctors, the couple said.

“As they say, every pint helps four kids,” John said. “The more blood that they’re going to get ... the more that get better.”

Family works for brain tumor awareness

Bedford Editor — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:53:00 GMT

By DARRELL HALEN

Three years ago, when he was only 15 months old, Declan Rourke of Bedford had a tumor surgically removed from his brain. Now, his family is raising money to help other young patients struck by the same disease.

Declan’s family is part of a team that will participate in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk on Sunday, Sept. 13, to support cancer treatment at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

There are five routes – ranging from 3 miles to 26.2 miles – available to participants.

Organizers of the annual event expect that this year 8,000 walkers will raise $6 million through small and large donations.

“I think that’s one of the great advantages of the walk – that everyone can participate,” said Declan’s mother, Mel Pepin. “You just have to choose what level.”

Declan was diagnosed with an atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor on Father’s Day 2006. The ping-pong ball size tumor was removed at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon two days later, and he went through cancer treatment at Children’s Hospital Boston and the Dana-Farber Jimmy Fund Clinic.

“The best treatment in the world was in our back yard,” said Pepin, whose son lived in a hospital for six months. “We could not have been any luckier in that sense. People travel great distances to go to Dana-Farber.”

AT/RT strikes children usually under the age of 3. The tumor can be found anywhere in the brain and tends to spread through the central nervous system. Because it is highly malignant, AT/RT carries a high mortality rate.

Declan appeared to have a stomach bug when he first showed signs of being sick. After he vomited in his crib, his parents discovered he was not moving on his left side and his lips were starting to twitch.

“We were lucky he had a major episode that told us something was wrong,” said his father, Tym Roarke. “Often times, that doesn’t happen. Because of the fact we caught it so early is one of the reasons why he is doing so well.”

Today, Declan, who finished chemotherapy treatment in October 2007, has no evidence of the disease. There are, however, after-effects from his treatment, which also included radiation.

Declan has significant hearing loss, takes medication to control seizures and wears leg braces. He may show cognitive delays in his middle school and high school years. Damage to his heart and other organs may be discovered as he gets older.

“It’s a guessing game whether or not – and to what extent – he’ll manifest those (problems),” said Roarke, whose son could experience a secondary cancer as a result of chemotherapy drugs. “You just don’t know until you’re there. His doctors and people compliment how remarkable he looks and how remarkable he’s doing right now, compared to how incredibly sick he was. But (there are) other things that can crop up much later on.”

When Declan’s tumor was discovered, only one option for treatment, known as IRS III protocol, showed any promise. If they didn’t pursue it, the Rourkes would lose their son.

“When you’re (faced) with … you have no option but you can try this protocol that could potentially save his life, it’s kind of a logical choice,” said Pepin.

Family, friends, co-workers and even strangers rallied to support Declan and his family after he was diagnosed.

They received hundreds of greeting cards which they placed on the walls of their dining room.

“We needed that,” said Pepin. “That was our visual reminder of how many people were supporting us.”

And a fundraiser at the Manchester Country Club in September 2007 helped pay for some important expenses, including Pepin’s $1,500 a month COBRA insurance that would enable the family to cover the $1.6 million cost of Declan’s treatments.

In the United States, only around 30 new AT/RT cases are diagnosed each year. Because of the small number, it’s difficult for doctors to definitively conclude which portions of treatment actually work on patients.

Five families affected by AT/RT, including the Pepin- Rourke family, are teaming up to support the “Cure AT/RT Now” Fund at Dana-Farber by participating in the September walk. Their team, which has 64 members, has set out to raise $30,000.

The fund supports the work of the Jimmy Fund Clinic’s Stop and Shop Pediatric Brain Tumor Program and the work of two doctors, Susan Chi and Mark Kieran.

According to the team, Jimmy Fund Clinic researchers and clinicians are improving knowledge and treatment of AT/RT through cutting-edge research and by consulting with experts world-wide. Since the first Jimmy Fund walk was held 20 years ago, $60 million has been raised to support cancer treatment at Dana-Farber.

On the personal page she created at jimmyfundwalk.com, Pepin suggests donations that match experiences Declan has gone through.

For example, a dollar given for every round of chemotherapy that Declan has received would raise $57, and a dollar donated for each of the approximate number of nights he spent in the hospital would bring in $267.

Pepin is planning to walk the fundraiser’s 13.1-mile route and will be joined by her husband and son for the last five miles. Her father, Joe Pepin, a Bedford resident, is walking 26.2 miles.

The family invites the community to help them in three ways: walking with them, making a donation or sharing their story. They want to help provide better treatment – and hopefully one day a cure – to the patients of pediatric brain tumors.

“We’re very open about Declan’s experience,” said Pepin, whose son undergoes periodic tests to monitor his health and development. “Sharing our story helps us, it helps Declan and it helps raise money to make things better for other kids.”

Hampton Beach Casino puts on special show to raise funds for ailing manager

AskLisa — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 17:43:00 GMT

Jon Papandrew has been the Operations Manager at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom for more than a decade. His face has been the first to welcome each and every artist to Hampton Beach, his hand has been the last to bid them farewell as they hit the road to the next gig.

Jon was recently diagnosed with Stage IV liver cancer. It has metastasized to his bones. Needless to say, the diagnosis has been devastating not only for Jon, but for his family, his friends and the entire Casino Ballroom community. In addition to the physical and emotional toil, Jon is faced with the incredible burden of affording cancer treatment. The tables have turned and Jon needs the help of the community like never before.

On Thursday, August 20, the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom will be holding a benefit for Jon featuring live music by Little Feat. Proceeds from the show will go directly to the Papandrew family. If you would like to help out its simple, just buy a ticket to the show and have a great time. If you would like to donate directly to the Papandrew family you may do so by sending the donation to:

The Jon Papandrew Relief Fund
Banknorth
c/o Ms. Kelli Plante
Service Manager
P.O. Box 243
Rye, New Hampshire 03870

Your kindness and generosity are appreciated during this difficult time.

Update: Now, thanks to so many generous donations, a silent auction has been added to the event and will run from 6pm to 9pm the night of the show. Items include:

- Fender Guitar signed by both George Thorogood and Jonny Lang
- Epiphone Guitar signed by Joe Bonamassa
- 160GB iPod
- Autographed Little Feat foam core show poster
- Red Sox tickets
- 10' Sea Kayak
- 6 pack of skybox suite tickets to the show of your choice
- 6 pack of tickets to Water Country
- Weber Grill
- Maridian Snowboard
And much, much more…..

Goffstown High School staff, students raise money for cancer patient

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:15:00 GMT

By Danny Deconinck

The Goffstown community came together recently in support of 17-year-old Shayne Pouget. Pouget was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease in September 2008 and has struggled with his condition ever since.

Luna Salon in Goffstown sponsored an event to help the Pouget family, and held the “Three Shears for Shayne” fundraiser on June 6, Goffstown’s Old Home Day.

In the weeks leading up to the event, the Goffstown High School staff and student body built hype and collected donations. Two staff members, Monica Galamaga and Melanie Beauchemin, challenged the high school students to donate spare change or bills to help the cause.

“Mrs. Beauchemin and I jumped on board and said if we could each raise $1,000, we would shave our heads,” said Galamaga. “Much to our surThree prise, money came in and we both raised over $1,000 within a two-week period.”

As enthusiastic and devoted as Galamaga and Beauchemin were, they were not the only ones dedicated to the cause. GHS teachers Ryan Fitzpatrick, Samuel Perron, Timothy Westphal, Josh Lewis and Peter Galamaga all raised money for Shayne’s cause and had heads shaved as well.

“I wanted to support Shayne,” said Perron when asked what prompted his willingness to experience the buzz cut. “He’s almost my neighbor, and he’s from California, so they don’t have any family here to help out. I talked to him a lot last year and he’s a great kid. I wanted him to know people are thinking of him.”

“Shayne is a great kid and a fighter, and it’s important that he knows there are people outside his immediate family that care about him and who want to show their support any way they can,” said Lewis, “Everyone from friends, family, teachers (and their families) and students shaved their heads for Shayne … that’s the kind of support we offer to our own here at GHS.”

Jack Carbonneau, who coaches Pouget in soccer at the high school, provided one of the most awe-inspiring moments of the day when he waltzed into Luna Salon around 10:30 a.m. Carbonneau, as the story has been told, had not shaved his beard or cut his hair since his own high school prom, well over 20 years ago. Therefore when he strode up and down Main Street telling people he would be chopping his locks off if he received donations, the money came in rapidly. Carbonneau’s original goal was to raise $500, but he exceeded his own expectations and came up with $1,000 over the course of the day.

Bri Nelson was the only female student from Goffstown High School to shave her head, and she was joined by several of her male classmates.

Nelson donated her hair to “Locks of Love” to help disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical illnesses.

Mike Jutras, one of Shayne’s first friends from New Hampshire, personally raised $250 for the cause, and he too shaved off his characteristically long hair.

“I’d really like to thank everyone in my immediate family and all my friends and their family for helping out with the Shaving for Shayne event,” Pouget wrote in his online journal the day after the event. “I wish I could’ve been down there to thank everyone personally, but I feel everyone did a great job.”

Today, Shayne’s condition is showing signs of improvement.

On Tuesday, June 23, he was released from the hospital and returned home to be with his family. Though he still faces a long road to recovery, the Pougets are optimistic that he’s headed in the right direction.

Stand raises $1,250 for childhood cancer

Salem Editor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 18:47:00 GMT

BY DERRICK PERKINS

Volunteers at the Shaw’s Supermarket of Windham have the sweet taste of success in their mouths after smashing their goal of raising $200 for childhood cancer research by June 14.

After bringing in more than $1,250 in donations over two days of running an Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation fundraiser outside of the 43 Indian Rock Road store, volunteer and organizer Deb Mercer said the success of the event had left her with butterflies in her stomach.

“My stomach is flip-flopping, I’m so excited,” said Mercer, who works as a grocery clerk at the supermarket on most days. “Who would have thought (the response would be this good)?”

Mercer took a lead role in organizing the weekend-long event after her district manager challenged the employees in area Shaws’ locations to raise as much money as possible for the childhood cancer research foundation. Associates at her supermarket volunteered their time, energy and efforts into making sure the fundraiser went off successfully, she said. While some of Mercer’s co-workers joined her in handing out lemonade to passing customers, others gave in whatever way they could, from donating goods for a raffle to putting together the lemonade stand from scratch.

Having spent a few hours the week leading up to the event with co-worker Gaylon Spinney building the lemonade stand, Rolando Mendez, grocery manager for the supermarket, said he wanted to make the stand look rustic and as much as possible like the original, operated by Alexandra “Alex” Scott in 2000 for the sole purpose of raising money for cancer research.

The then 4-year-old had been suffering from neuroblastoma since her first birthday, and before she passed away in 2004, Scott and volunteers across the country had raised more than $1 million for childhood cancer research.

Mercer said telling the story of Scott’s efforts to find a cure for cancer to customers had been critical in making the event a success.

“We’ve been greeting people and we’re informing them of the original lemonade stand,” Mercer said. “Their hearts melt (when they learn more) and in goes the whole $20 bill.”

A spokesman for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Gillian Kocher said more than anything else, word of mouth about events like the Shaw’s fundraiser helped the organization both by raising money and by encouraging other individuals to volunteer their time and efforts.

As for Mercer, though this may have been her first organized charity fundraiser, she is already looking forward to bringing out the lemonade stand again next year.

“I’m so excited,” she said. “I’m not one for words, but yeah, this is totally cool.”

Richard Bloom defies odds with cancer

Hooksett Editor — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:35:00 GMT

BY JEFF ABKOWITZ

The cycle is continuous. It has no real beginning or end. When Richard Bloom, a 43- year-old resident of Hooksett wakes up, reprisal sets itself in motion once again, leaving him to ponder how much longer he has. It goes beyond the 18 medications he must take daily and the chronic pain he suffers through. It involves a rigorous fight to defy the odds and perhaps become an anomaly in the medical world: The first person to survive pancreatic cancer. And while Bloom is approaching four years in April, nobody has made it past seven, a startling fact he came to terms with long ago.

“My entire life revolves around my medication schedule, food, diabetes and hypoglycemia. All my friends have abandoned me because they have their jobs and families. When I started getting sick, people disappeared left and right,” said Bloom.

It wasn’t always like this for Bloom. In fact, it’s a dramatic change from the robust and upbeat life he used to lead. As a high-caliber car salesman in his 20s, he would often enjoy himself by riding his motorcycle and fishing. The hobbies he once immersed himself in, though, are now things of the past, as the world he once knew was shattered by the news he received back in the summer of 1996.

It began when he started missing a few days of work, due to being fatigued. After visiting with his doctor, he found out his liver enzyme count was elevated.

It was confusing news for Bloom, a man who barely drank and was in relatively good health. After more testing was done, it was discovered that he had Hepatitis C, catching him completely off guard.

“I went in to see my doctor and he told me you have Hepatitis C. I didn’t know what Hepatitis A, B or C was. He told me, ‘You’re one of the first tested for it,’” said Bloom.

The doctors were able to trace the origin of Hepatitis C back to a blood transfusion Bloom received when he was 16. After attempting a stunt on his motorcycle, he hit his shoulder and broke it open. However, hospitals weren’t checking for Hepatitis C back then. Bloom’s initial reaction was to be relieved. It wasn’t all in his head. It would be treatable and a return to normalcy was in sight.

He started undergoing the treatment, which required three interferon shots a day and had side effects such as sweating, muscle aches and vomiting that could last up to 18 hours.

After three months, a test concluded the Hepatitis C was inert but treatment continued for almost a year to ensure it remained that way. After he stopped the injections, he found out he had permanent nerve damage in his body and was diagnosed with chronic fatigue. He applied for disability and knew a return to work was unlikely.

For the next three years, things remained as they were and Bloom adjusted to his new lifestyle. But in 2001, the “game changer,” as Bloom refers to it, altered his perspective significantly. He suffered an acute ischemic stroke in the brain and part of his brain became nonfunctional, due to a blocked artery. Depression set in and he wondered how long the misery would last.

“I said to myself, ‘It can be like this for my entire life.’”

But it wasn’t. Over the next three years the rehabilitation resulted in a 95 percent recovery. He sold his house and some possessions, downsizing to a town house to cut down on costs and for easier maintenance.

A year later, however, Bloom felt chest pains and after going to two different hospitals, they found a tear in the wall separating chambers of the heart, roughly three-fourths of an inch. He was rushed to Massachusetts General and after a three-hour surgery, doctors managed to sew up the tear.

“What’s funny is that anytime a black-and-white X-ray is done, you can see my heart because it looks like a chain-link fence. You can never tell what life is going to throw at you.”

The next two years were filled with joy for Bloom. He went skiing, took a trip to Florida, and started thinking about going back to work. That vision changed when he suddenly experienced sharp pains in his stomach. It became a recurring theme and Bloom was hospitalized off and on. The hospital and his primary care physician accused him of abusing the system, suggesting he was a hypochondriac.

After he went to Dartmouth in Lebanon, they found out that the fabrication was actually islet cell tumors in his stomach. Doctors urged Bloom to undergo surgery, which involved taking out his gall bladder, removing the head of the pancreas, disabling the valves in the pancreas and liver, changing the location of the pancreas by moving it next to the spleen, removing 60 percent of the stomach, taking out the duodenum and repositioning the jejunum junction so that the common bile duct could go into it.

Bloom feels it’s a miracle that he made it this far. “This is the most invasive procedure a person can go through. Fifty percent of people who have undergone this surgery die in the next 18 to 24 months. All of the doctors are stumped as to how I’m still living.”

The complications resulting from this, however, have been severe. His autonomic system, which regulates involuntary functions such as breathing, the pumping of blood and more, no longer works properly, impacting how he operates. Also, because of all the shifting around and removal of organs that was required of the surgery, he is now diabetic and hypoglycemic.

As the bills mounted and his support system of friends shrunk, Bloom tried contacting Eileen Ehlers, a former state representative who was serving at the time. After hearing his story and exploring the options, she discovered there were no gray areas and couldn’t provide much help, as he was just barely over the poverty line.

“People are slipping through the cracks. Regulations are strict. I thought with all the safety nets out there, he’d be able to find some help. This is an in-your-face example of what Americans are going through. I think there are people in this town who would help if they knew,” said Ehlers.

Bloom goes once a week to Massachusetts General to consult with his doctors and go through testing and has found the drive to be more exhausting each time he undertakes it.

Ehlers’ husband, Bob, offered recently to drive him in one day to help out but can’t take the time off regularly from work. The Ehlers are hoping that people can possibly donate their time and services to help Bloom out.

“Driving to Boston for examinations, diagnostic tests and procedures can be very taxing for him. Without help he may not be able to drive back to Hooksett.

Helping Richard is not a fulltime job. If several people volunteer, it means that it could come down to just one trip to Boston a year or a couple of phone calls a month just to say hello,” said Bob Ehlers.

Anyone who is interested in helping Bloom may call 485- 3180.

Bracelets for Breast Cancer Fundraiser

CLTomasi — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:08:52 GMT

On Saturday, August 2nd, I will be hosting Bracelets for Breast Cancer. The event will be located at Salem Self Defense Center 224 North Broadway, Salem, NH, and will run from 9am-4pm. We will be holding several raffles, as well as serving food and drink, with a Krav Maga demonstration in the afternoon.

The event will feature the Fall/Winter 2008 line of lia sophia jewelry. Half of my profits (15% of the total sales) will be donated to breast cancer research, awareness, and prevention. To do this, I need to sell at least $3335 worth of product. As an incentive, once my sales exceed that amount, 20% of the total sales will be donated to breast cancer research.

If you do not live in the area or are unable to attend, but would like to contribute to the cause, orders can be placed online through my personal website at www.liasophia.com/poshpieces, after July 28. Orders can be placed up until August 9 at 10pm. If you choose to order online, you should put in "Chris Tom" as the hostess name. If you have any questions, feel free to call or email me (my contact information is below).

Cancer has undoubtedly touched each and every one of us in some way...Help raise funds to find a cure!

About the Fundraiser

CLTomasi — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 23:22:00 GMT

National Cancer Survivors Day

NHLife — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:13:00 GMT

Today is National Cancer Survivors Day. Did you know that there are over 11 million cancer survivors in the US? This sounds like a big number, but when you stop to think about the number of people that have been lost to cancer, it really puts it all into perspective.

This week, Standup2Cancer.org launched their website. For only $1 you can donate in the name of a family member, friend or co-worker who has struggled with the disease in any of its forms. You can create a star in their name and the star will be part of a "constellation" on the website. Funds that are raised will go toward cancer research. If you're like me, you probably thought that Federal funding for cancer research was a regular and ongoing source. However, many Federal grants have dried up.

It's time to take this into our own hands. All it takes is a buck (though you can donate more). Since most of us know someone who currently has cancer, is a survivor, or has been taken from us too soon because of this insidious disease (which is most of us), this is the perfect way to honor your loved ones. I know I did.

Did you know that every minute someone dies from cancer? It's true. We are that close to a cure for many forms of the disease. This is our chance to try and make a difference, to ensure that our children might just see a future without cancer.

Imagine it.

On Friday, September 5, the "Big Three" networks will host an unprecedented primetime fundraiser for StandUp2Cancer. The goal is to put an end to cancer by raising enough money to help fund cancer research for years to come. If you want a sneak peek, their website is already up and running at http://www.standup2cancer.org/.

It might be the best dollar you ever spent.

Salem tots participate in hop-a-thon for cancer research

Salem Editor — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:13:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

When young students recently hopped to music at Littleville Learning Center, they were doing more than getting some good exercise. They were raising money for the American Cancer Society.

On Wednesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 8, preschool, prekindergarten and kindergarten students took turns hopping for a total of 30 minutes each day. During two weeks leading up to their hop-a-thon, they had collected pledges from relatives and friends.

“The kids love it,” said Littleville’s co-owner, Laura Devine, who explained to the students that they would be helping people with cancer, including sick children. “They get a kick out of it.”

Their hop-a-thon supports the Relay for Life fundraiser that is held in Salem annually to benefit the ACS.

This is the third year that Littleville students have hopped to make a difference in cancer patients’ lives. In 2006, Salem resident Dawn Mastrogiacomo and the school’s staff came up with the idea for a hop-a-thon. That year, students raised $1,700. They brought in $2,300 last year.

A Relay for Life is an overnight event where participants raise money for cancer research and ACS programs and celebrate cancer survivorship. Relays are held in communities throughout the nation.

This year’s relay in Salem begins at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, and concludes at 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 22. Over 18 hours, members of teams will take turns walking laps at Salem High School’s Grant Field. Last year’s event raised approximately $250,000.

Mastrogiacomo, a breast cancer survivor, is a member of a group of women, Team Mom-O-Gram, who will be participating. Mastrogiacomo will bring the money the Littleville students raised to the relay.

“They can play a big role in Relay for Life even though they’re on (summer) vacation,” said Mastogiacomo who had sent her daughter, Jamie, now 8, to the school.

On the first day of this year’s hop-a-thon, the children hopped to music by Hannah Montana and Kidz Bop as Devine’s sister, school co-owner Valerie Longo, cheered them on.

Colorful helium-filled balloons decorated the area, and nearby hung an American Cancer Society Relay for Life banner. It read: “It’s about being a community that takes up the fight.”