Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 12, 2014 Thank you to Heather E. and Ashley A. from Waldwick School for their food col- lection on behalf of our families. Our next round of grocery deliver- ies will start to go out in mid-November. Please consider donating a “Thanksgiv- ing in a Box” meal of non-perishables for one of our many families. Please be sure to include healthy and organic items such as cranberry juice and juice boxes, stuffing mix, gravy, bread and muffin mix, corn- bread, cranberry bread, canned corn and beans, coffee, tea, hot chocolate mix, cake and brownie mixes, mints, nuts, and veg- etable broth or bouillon. Our families also need boxed soy, almond, and other milks. Meet Alex: Alex, 12, was diagnosed with leukemia in the spring. Prior to receiv- ing this diagnosis, his life had already been impacted by significant medical condi- tions such as severe autism and inability to speak, hypertonia (weak muscles) that pre- vent him from walking, dysphasia (trouble chewing and swallowing) that resulted in a feeding tube, and seizures and agitation that require medication. Alex and his mom stayed in the in- patient unit of the hospital in New Jersey for four months for his initial treatment. Alex’s mom is his advocate. With his lim- ited speaking level, she is the one who communicates with hospital staff for any of his needs. Alex now goes for outpatient blood work and follow-up with travel to and from the hospital provided by a medical trans- port service that moves him on a stretcher. Now, most of Alex’s chemotherapy treat- ments are done on an in-patient basis and he and his mom stay for four to five days each time. It is anticipated that Alex’s treat- ments will be successful and it is hoped he can return soon to his special school. A visiting nurse currently sleeps over nightly to assist with Alex’s feeding and monitoring. He lives with his parents and his sister, nine, who has a less severe form of autism. Alex’s father has MS, is dis- abled, has trouble walking, and cannot work. Alex, his dad, and his sister all need to wear diapers. Mom has the responsibil- ity for overseeing all of the family’s needs. The family lives in a second floor apartment of a building owned by Alex’s maternal grandmother. The grandmother lives with family members in the first floor apartment and they provide some support for Alex’s mom. However, while at home, Alex spends most of his time in bed. At this time, he does not have a wheelchair that fits him and needs to be fitted for a new one. The family apartment is not wheelchair accessible and this could affect coverage for the cost of a new wheelchair. Due to his physical challenges, Alex is not a candidate for a chairlift due to safety concerns, and it has been difficult for him to manage the steps to and from the apartment. The family’s income is minimal, and they rely upon government support and help from organizations. Alex’s mom is very caring, but is under a lot of stress with all of these medical and emotional challenges. She tries to be positive, but with all of these issues, it is a struggle to cope. She would benefit from having some time to tend to her own needs and the means to have some personal care. The family would benefit from gift cards for food and other needed home items. Alex would benefit from being able to have a new wheelchair that would have to be made especially for him, and the abil- ity to travel more easily to school and other outings. Our families need paper goods and non- toxic cleaning supplies. They would appre- ciate donations of toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, laundry detergent, and all cleaning supplies. We also need diapers (stages four through six). Many of our children need to be in a sterile environment while their immunity builds. Thank you to all who have already brought us these supplies. We are planning our Fifth Annual Bash, which will help us provide counseling and financial aid to families in New Jersey. This event will be held at The Brick House on March 6, 2015. Please call us to volun- teer or if your company is interested in a sponsorship. 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 profes- sional counseling, material goods (such as household items, toys, and monthly grocery deliveries), and emergency financial assis- tance. These individually tailored services are critical in helping families get through the crisis of pediatric cancer. ECF does not receive government fund- ing, so the community’s financial support, donations, and volunteer time are essen- tial. Please call the Northern Regional Center at (201) 612-8118 or e-mail Laura at laura@emmanuelcancer.org to see how you can help. 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 limited, 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: EmmanuelCancer- Foundation. As always, thank you for help- ing the children and their families!