ORANGE LODGE № 296

CHUBBY AND THE WEST ST. BAND
STEVE HENRY
CALVIN McGOWAN
RON NEWMAN
WENDY WAYLON
NIGHTHAWK

Doors open at 6:00pm
Showtime at 7:00pm
Tickets $20.00 and includes a buffet.
Cash Bar

Emma Thompson's Story

Emma is 15 years old and attends O.D.C.V.I. here in Orillia. At the beginning of the school year, Emma was like most teenage girls, with her biggest worry being what she was going to wear to school that morning. Like most teens, she loved hanging out with her friends, spending time with her younger sister and playing sports.

Then literally over night her life changed. On Saturday September 24^th, Emma’s mother Tamara took her to the Emergency at Soldiers Memorial Hospital because she had developed a lump in her neck. With no real idea of what was about to come, they spent the day in the hospital where after tests they were referred to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, under the assumption that this may be Lymphoma cancer.

They arrived at Sick Kids on Monday September 26^th and started the process of several long days of tests. Some of these tests included blood work, chest x-rays, a biopsy surgery, a bone marrow biopsy, a physical exam and a spinal tap just to name a few. What an emotional rollercoaster! Finally on Wednesday October 12^th, Emma was diagnosed with T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This type of Leukemia is a disease of the blood and bone marrow. It occurs when the body produces a large number of immature white blood cells called lymphocytes. Some Leukemia cells can act as white blood cells, allowing the body to maintain function. In the case of Acute Leukemia, cells can’t do any of the work of normal white blood cells and the number of Leukemia cells rapidly increases and the condition quickly worsens.

This is a common type of Leukemia in children, but in Emma’s particular case, they have found a cell that increases the severity of her type. Therefore a much more aggressive treatment plan is required in her case. Only 15% of children with Leukemia have this rare form. The treatment that she is going to require is extensive and she will require bone marrow transplant. To this end, the process of finding a donor has started and it is hoped that her body does not reject the transplant.

The current survival rate among children is 60% (or 6 out of every 10 children). Emma will be undergoing chemotherapy as well as radiation therapy. Both of these treatments will be very aggressive and will result in many undesirable side effects, including loss of her hair. By week twelve of her treatment, Emma will have lost her hair, as well as possibly have burns to her skin. Nausea, vomiting, fatigue and many more side effects will become a common every day occurrence Emma will have to endure for a long period of time. If doctors are able to get the cancer into remission there will still be frequent doctor visits, expensive medications and ongoing treatment necessary in order to keep it in remission.

Emma Thompson comes from an average family where she is one of 3 children. Her parents are both hard workers and provide a nice home and lots of love for their children. Unfortunately due to the situation, this process will be very trying and financially straining on the whole family.

It is hoped that by reaching out into the community, the kind people of Orillia will donate from the heart. Donations of any kind to help with medical expenses and traveling back and forth to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto would be greatly welcome with much heartfelt appreciation!

Letter from Sick Children's Hospital