Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • July 16, 2014 Everyone at ECF thanks MSO for hosting a Golf Outing to help our families! Right now, our families need cleaning supplies and paper goods. Please consider donating toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, laundry detergent, and “green” cleaning supplies. Many of our children need to be in a sterile envi- ronment while their immunity builds. We are also in need of gift cards for back-to-school clothes from stores like Kohl’s and TJ Maxx. Summer donations are always an issue, since the schools are closed and vacations are in full swing. Our families continue to struggle. Please consider having your camp, swim team, etc., collect food or funds for us during these lean months. Meet Evan. Evan is all about strength and incredible courage. This 18-year-old has been through so much since 2009, when he was first diagnosed with cancer. He bravely fought that fight at 13 -- and won. Just recently, the family received the call from their doctor telling them all his tests came back and he was officially cured. That good news was short-lived. In January of 2013, he was diagnosed with another type of cancer. Treatment began with surgery to remove his thyroid. He then had a radiation ablation followed with a 10-day low iodine diet. This diet proved to be extremely difficult, not only for Evan but also for the entire family, who joined him in sup- port. This diet demanded that most of his food and bever- ages contain iodine in preparation for his body to receive radiation to make the thyroid cancer cells hungry for iodine. These cancer cells absorb the radioactive iodine, hopefully destroying them. After this was finished, he needed to take a pill with the radioactive iodine in it and had to be in strict isola- tion so no one else would be exposed to the radioactivity. This meant staying in his room alone, not using the same bathroom as everyone else, and having separate trash just for him. Evan’s attitude has been amazing throughout every- thing and he has never lost hope. He has fought, and continues to fight. Throughout this ordeal, he continued to receive exemplary grades and was very active in the ROTC program. Evan graduated from high school last month, and he will be continuing his education, but he is very concerned about not being able to afford college expenses. Evan would be very grateful for any support such as gift cards so he can buy books and other incidentals while moving forward with his life. ECF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a variety of specialized services, at no charge, to any New Jersey family facing the challenges of caring for a child with cancer. ECF provides professional counsel- ing, material goods (such as household items, toys, and monthly grocery deliveries), and emergency financial assistance. These individually tailored services are criti- cal in helping families get through the crisis of pediatric cancer. ECF does not receive government funding, so the com- Fond sendoff munity’s financial support, donations, and volunteer time are essential. Please call the Northern Regional Center at (201) 612-8118 or e-mail Laura at laura@emmanuelcancer. org to see how you can help. • We need volunteers who can deliver groceries to fam- ilies in Bergen and Essex counties. • Turn your event into a fundraiser and collect checks or gift cards for our families. • Get the kids involved. Proceeds from fundraisers such as bake sales and lemonade stands help make a dif- ference. • Is your group looking for a community service proj- ect? Consider collecting items for our food pantry. • Is your Scout Troop looking to earn badges? This is a great way to get creative and have fun while learning about philanthropy. • Does your company have a charitable giving pro- gram? If so, please let us know. If you have a few hours a week to spare, consider becoming a volunteer or just stop by and see what ECF is all about. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue in Midland Park. Please call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Because storage space is lim- ited, please do not leave items at the center without check- ing with us first. For more information, visit us at www. emmanuelcancer.org or “like” us on Facebook: Emmanu- elCancerFoundation. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Carol and Michael Sullivan recently hosted a farewell party for Hummy Klopman who turned 90 this year and made the deci- sion to move from her home on Irving Street in Midland Park to the Holland Christian Home. Klopman is well-known in Mid- land Park. Many people recognize Klopman, who has been taking regular walks from the time she was a very young person to the present.