A child with a rare form of cancer is the focus of several fundraising events planned on Sept. 20 at the South Avenue softball fields.
Jacob Smith of Iola, 13-year-old brother of Emporian Ashley Smith, has undergone chemotherapy for Stage 4 neuroblastoma and expects to have a bone marrow transplant in early October.
Jacob was in Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., for treatment several days this week because his fever spiked after the last round of chemotherapy.
His mother, Denise Smith, said that Jacob’s hematology and oncology specialist, Dr. Erin Guest, believes he is responding well to treatment for the cancer, which usually strikes infants up to 18 months old.
“It’s the one they call the silent killer because it’s hard to diagnose. Who knows how long he’s had it,” Smith said. “... Dr. Guest said that she’s going to have to give Jacob more credit than she thought because he bounces back after all the chemos.”
Jacob had been pale and running a low-grade fever at home when his parents took him to a local physician.
“What prompted this was, all of a sudden he had this horrendous pain in his arms and shoulders,” Smith said. “It started in his left shoulder the last week of March. It moved to the right shoulder a week later. We could not control the pain at home.”
Jacob soon was sent to Children’s Mercy Hospital for treatment.
He recently had a series of X-rays to compare with those done early in his diagnosis.
“The spots that have showed up before in his bones — there was one on his head, one in each arm and one in the pelvis area — those spots have disappeared,” she said.
They are optimistic that the often-fatal disease may be coming under control.
Sheryl Wiemers of Emporia, a friend of the Smith family, has organized a co-ed softball tournament and still has room for a few more teams on the slate.
“I’m looking to have at least 12 teams,” Wiemers said.
Raffles with a variety of prizes will be held throughout the day as the games are going on, and a concession stand will be available. Proceeds will be donated to the fund for Jacob.
Donations suggested for raffle tickets are $5 for six tickets or $1 for one ticket. Ticket-holders do not have to be present to win. Tickets and more information about the softball tournament may be had by calling Wiemers at 342-4634.
Prizes in the “Gett’r Done Raffle,” donated by Emporia merchants, include: one steak dinner, Desperado’s; one rib dinner, Desperado’s; three movie tickets for adults, Flinthills Theater; $20 dinner, Montana Mike’s; five large one-topping pizzas, Papa John’s; two $10 gift certificates, Applebee’s; four T-shirts ($66.96 value), Jock’s Nitch; Bruff’s T-shirt; $10 gift certificate, Colburn’s; dinner for four at the Skyline restaurant in Emporia State University Memorial Union.
Also, three $10 gift certificates, Carlos O’Kelley’s; steak gift certificate, Wagon Wheel; one free haircut, JC Penney salon; three-month program, Emporia Recreation Commission; $50 gift certificate, Honeysuckle Lane; two gift baskets, Trend Centre; movie gift basket, Movie Gallery; coupons, Maurice’s; $50 gift certificate, Tranquility Day Spa; five gift certificates for blizzards, Dairy Queen.