Meet Micah

Meet Micah

For most young people, senior year of high school is a year to make great memories. A time to relish the moment and prepare for the future. For 16-year-old Micah, however, senior year will begin with uncertainty.

Earlier this year, Micah was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. Treatments began immediately and will continue well into the fall. Due to this necessary treatment, Micah was unable to complete his junior year and is likely to miss at least a month of his senior year. Dreams of college may also need to go on hold, and it’s not just because of the treatment.

Natives of Maui, Hawaii, Micah and his family have had to had to deal with many financial hardships. The only place Micah can receive care is in Honolulu at the Kapiolani Children’s Hospital — 30 minutes away by plane. Although doctors recommend returning home after each round of treatment, round trip flights can be up to $350 per person. Rental cars, flights, and medical bills have added up for the parents that are unable to work in order to care for Micah full-time. Insurance has declined to cover all of the treatments.

Micah wants to be home playing basketball and video games with friends, getting ready for the prom that he missed during his junior year, and making plans for college. We want him there too.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Micah and families like his. Please consider a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

 Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Colin

Meet Colin

Like many boys his age, Colin loves nature. Fishing in Long Island became a favorite pastime. However, watching Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel became this eight-year-old’s closest connection with nature for a time as being outdoors was not an option and long hospital stays became the norm.

Christmas Eve, 2011. A time of excitement and hope for most people was a day that parents Jenn and Kevin would not forget. On this day, Colin (the oldest of three boys) was diagnosed with leukemia. Jenn quit her job as an advertising recruiter to help care for him, and Kevin (a retired fire fighter) spent many days taking his son to the hospital for treatment. The chemotherapy began, but Colin did not respond as doctors hoped he would. A bone marrow transplant was needed, and, unfortunately, neither brother (Brody, 5, and Ryan, 1 ) was a match.

A transplant did take place in July 2012, and after months in the hospital recovering Colin was able to return home. During this time, Colin was not permitted to leave home or have visitors as the risk of infection was too high. The transplant seemed to be successful and Colin eventually returned to school and finished 2nd grade, and had an enjoyable summer with his family. In the fall of 2013, however, Colin relapsed and began treatment at NYU.

The Queens, NY family continues to care for their beloved son in the hopes that his outdoor adventures won’t be relegated to the TV screen.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Colin and families like his. Please consider a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

 Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Anthony

Meet Anthony

Planning a family trip can be a very stressful event, especially when taking kids away from home for a long period of time. For parents Kim and Tony, this stress level was taken to the extreme for this was no pleasure trip. Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations were cut short to prepare for a three-month trip to Minnesota in order to have care for their son, 8-year-old Anthony. It would not be the last time the family needed to take the trip.

After suffering a concussion in the summer of 2013, Anthony was diagnosed with having a rare incurable genetic condition, Cerebral X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy as well as Addison’s Disease. These life-threatening conditions required Anthony to receive an immediate bone marrow transplant. Thus, a trip for this Pennsylvania family to the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital was necessary.

During these three months of assistance that included chemotherapy and a cord blood stem cell transplant, Anthony’s hearing was lost along with much of his vision. Currently, he is dealing with physical, occupational, and speech therapy to help adjust to his loss of sight and hearing. His multiple medications keep him from being as active as he would want to be.

Happily, this video game, sports-fanatic, pro wrestling enthusiast has been able to return home to Pennsylvania for a time to be with his entire family and a supportive community who proudly sport the blue bracelets that say, “We’ve Got Your Back.” Hopefully, you can help us have Anthony’s back too.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Anthony and families like his. Please consider a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

 Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Briana

Meet Briana

Cheerleaders are automatically recognized for their bubbly personalities, perpetual good spirits, and ability to bring smiles to others. All of these qualities fit 15-year-old Brianna to a T. As father Nunziato describes her, “She is such an outgoing kid. She always puts other people before herself.”

2011 was a year, however, that changed this cheerleader forever. Brianna’s body was covered with bruises that weren’t caused by the occasional cheerleading mishap. It turned out that Brianna had leukemia, for which she had to travel to multiple hospitals throughout New York to receive treatment. While treatment started well, Brianna also dealt with pancreatitis, putting her in intensive care for a week while her pancreas was removed. Diabetes also became an issue, challenging doctors to find the right balance for many different types of necessary medications. Nunziato wakes up at 2:30 every morning just to make sure his daughter’s sugar levels have not reached dangerous levels.

While dealing with the needs of a sick child would be challenging for any parent, for Nunziato it is even more difficult. Earlier this year, this dedicated father was injured on the job leaving him unable to work. Plus, he is a single father with four other children aged 10-17 to care for. A strong and proud family to be sure, but anyone in this situation could use a hand. Today, doctors are iffy about allowing Brianna to pick up the pom poms again, but with your help we can be part of her own personal cheering section.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Brianna and families like hers. Please consider a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

 Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Blaze

Meet Blaze

When does your baby stop being your baby? If you talk to parents Marie and Joe, the answer is never.

Blaze was looking forward to his high school graduation. A senior at Tottenville High School in Staten Island, New York, school had always been a struggle, and June was supposed to be a time for celebration. Blaze, however, never got the chance to graduate with his fellow classmates.

One day, Blaze (after completing his daily paper route) showed his mother a strange rash on his feet. Using motherly instincts, Marie asked Joe to take their son to their family doctor. Blood tests confirmed that Blaze had leukemia. 

Within hours, Blaze was admitted to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to begin chemotherapy for TCell ALL leukemia and to destroy a mass it had created that was covering his trachea, heart, and lungs. Luckily, the mass was treated in time, but regular maintenance chemotherapy has not been easy. After the final day of his first round of maintenance 1, Blaze had an allergic reaction that caused him to lose the use of his legs for 48 hours.

Watching their 6’2″ son suffer has not been easy for Marie, Joe, and their other two children (older brother Chris and younger sister Liana). Weekly treatments are so intense that Blaze is unable to stay home alone for the first year. His father Joe had to quit his job in order to stay with his son full time. The family has been unable to receive assistance from traditional programs since Blaze turned 19 in July (even though he is treated in the pediatric ward). Marie says, “I did not know there was a better time to get leukemia.”

Blaze and family remain positive about the future. On one recent round of treatment, Blaze (who lost nearly 40 pounds at the beginning of treatment) was just happy he was done in time to get home and see his beloved Jets on TV. However, Marie says that their lives are no longer carefree and “fear of the unknown is always in our hearts. ” What upsets her the most is that her son has lost the ability to make carefree choices. She states, “This was the time in his life when he was supposed to spread his wings and soar with them, not have them clipped.” With your help, we can give this proud family a chance to unclip those wings.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Blaze and families like his. Please consider a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

 Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Zorina

Meet Zorina

“The wheels on the bus go round and round…”

 

The sound of this beloved children’s song brings a smile to the faces of many children. For father Roberto, this song means so much more.

Zorina, who was born with Down’s syndrome, will simply make the familiar hand gesture of the rotating bus wheels to indicate to Dad that she wants to watch her favorite show on the TV. Lately, this favorite home activity has been interrupted by frequent hospital visits.

This past June, mom Amy took her 2 1/2 year old to the doctor after noticing a curious rash covering Zorina’s body. The diagnosis turned out to be leukemia for which Zorina underwent immediate chemotherapy. This first stay in the hospital lasted 33 days; she is currently in the midst of her third prolonged stay at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.

The youngest of three children, Zorina brings joy into her family’s life with her loving personality. Zorina, whose immune system becomes weaker during therapy, shares her care for her family by reminding them to wash their hands in the hospital. How special that such a young person can look out for her family first. With your support, we can help Zorina’s family look out for their most special treasure.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Zorina and families like hers.

Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Yesenia

Meet Yesenia

Yesenia lived a life like many an 11-year-old girl. An aspiring dancer and Hannah Montana fan, Yesnia, the oldest of three girls, lived life happily and gratefully. Then, this past January, Yesenia’s life changed forever. A senseless act of violence during a domestic dispute saw Yesenia suffer a gunshot wound to the face. This wound caused her to suffer a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down. Today, Yesnia is confined to a wheelchair and has only limited function in her hands and arms. Knowing that she will never walk again, yet hoping that her arm strength will return, Yesenia hopes to be part of a wheelchair dance team to continue her love of movement and music.

Currently, the family is living in a domestic violence homeless shelter and hoping to find a permanent place to live. Once this takes place, however, many home modifications will need to be done to accommodate Yesenia’s many needs. Yesenia’s mother Shandar, has not been able to work due to her daughter needing around-the-clock care. With your support, we can help Yesenia’s family pay for some of the many expenses that will be part of their life forever.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Yesenia and families like hers.

Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Ronnie

Meet Ronnie

When you’re three and a half years old, life seems to go by pretty fast. For Ronnie it goes by even faster as cerebral palsy has taken his ability to walk, hear, and see clearly. Yet despite these difficulties, mom Debbie and siblings Robert and Destiny look to Ronnie as a source of inspiration.

Debbie went into premature labor after a bout with domestic abuse. Ronnie’s twin died within a day of birth, and Ronnie was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and a brain stem injury. Looking to get her son the best care, Debbie moved her children to Philadelphia, PA to take advantage of the care provided at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Unfortunately, the new living environment was not as welcoming as the staff at CHOP. The family’s van, which featured wheelchair access for Ronnie, was stolen. Weeks later, police found the vehicle with bullet holes, missing parts, and repair beyond the family’s financial means.

Today, Debbie is forced to use cabs and car service in order to bring Ronnie to his treatments four days a week. Along with his wheelchair, Ronnie is accompanied by a body brace and oxygen tank – not the easiest things to bring aboard a taxi.

With your support, Debbie may be able to purchase a vehicle that will mean freedom and mobility for her entire family. Help us help her offer such an important gift to those she loves best.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Ronnie and families like his.

Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.

Meet Will

Meet Will

Will is an average four-year-old boy. He enjoys playing with superhero toys, running around, and being active. The difference, however, is that this spirited boy (nicknamed “Super Will”) gets tired during play needing frequent rest periods. Much of this is due to the fact that Will suffers from adrenal cancer, a rare cancer for children to have. In the summer of 2012, Will underwent surgery to remove a 2 1/2 pound mass from his stomach. Since that time, Will has received chemotherapy multiple times each week. The medication has also affected Will’s ability to hear clearly.

Luckily for Will, he has a very loving mother to care and nurture him. Fortunately, mom Kara was able to take a leave of absence from her teaching position at Westfield High in Westfield, NJ. However, a single income budget with significant medical bills has made it difficult to provide Will with those little extras that make a childhood memorable and fun.

Your donation can help us share a bit of happiness, hope, and comfort in the lives of Super Will and families like his.

Make a donation to Five Fathers Children’s Charity.