‘Kids Care’ For Leukemia Patient

By Larissa Lytwyn

Hawley Elementary School’s chapter of national nonprofit charity Kids Care, in conjunction with the school’s student council, recently began meeting to help Emily, a kindergartener at Hawley, fight her battle against leukemia.

Emily is the “honored patient” for this year’s Coins for a Cure campaign. Newtown resident Ginny Chion, who lost her son a few years ago to the disease, began the project, which raises money for the Fairfield County Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America.

To learn more about leukemia, the students watched a video on the nature of the disease, including its symptoms.

“While I knew that [patients] lost their hair, I didn’t know how easily they could bruise,” said fourth grade Kids Care member Christina Caporale.

“They have trouble breathing, too,” added Kids Care member Eric Terhaar.

“Helping Emily makes it personal for me,” said third grade Kids Club member Anna Grillo, who was making labels for collection cans. “I know Emily from the [school] bus.”

Kids Care member Lilia Hutchinson knows Emily, too. “I also have a neighbor who had leukemia,” she said

In addition to labeling collection cans, students made posters and prepared pamphlets to send to students’ families informing them about Coins for a Cure.

While increasing awareness at Hawley, the students will help other district schools bring the campaign to the community by appealing for the support of local businesses and legislators.

Parent advisors Cindy Andreau, Nancy Scanlon, and Isabel Cummings lead kids Care, sponsored by the school’s PTA.

“We started Kids Care here at Hawley two years ago after hearing about the Kids Care program through friends in New Fairfield,” said Ms Andreau.

She said the Coins for A Cure campaign struck close to her heart, especially when she learned of Emily.

“Kids Care is a good way for children to get in touch with the value of helping others,” she said. The club’s membership is limited to about 40 third and fourth grade students “because the program would be too huge to run” if it was open to the entire school.

The entire student body can, however, take part in helping others through the awareness-spreading efforts of Kids Care.

For more information about Kids Care, visit www.kidscare.org.