Everyday Angels

On April 12, 2-year-old Caspian Moore was at his day care in Canton, celebrating Easter, when he fell and hit his head.

“I immediately brought him home where he slept most the day,” said his mom, Helen. “When he woke up, he began vomiting, so my fiance, Ethan, quickly took him to urgent care, suspecting he could have a concussion. I was working, so I met them there. Looking back, Caspian had been randomly falling frequently; standing one moment and on the ground the next. He also didn’t have much of an appetite lately, and would frequently vomit for no reason. When I shared this information with the urgent care doctor, he directed us to WellStar Kennestone Hospital for a CT scan.”

While at Kennestone, Caspian’s CT scan revealed a tumor in the back of his brain. “Everything happened so fast. We were immediately transported to Children’s Scottish Rite Hospital Healthcare of Atlanta, where we waited for more information. The following day, an MRI revealed a tumor and fluid on his skull, requiring immediate surgery to insert a drain to remove the fluid from his brain. It was so hard keeping him completely still during this time. Once the fluid was removed, they performed surgery to remove his tumor on Friday, April 15. Surgeons felt confident that they removed 100% of his tumor, but aggressive chemo must follow,” Helen said.

Caspian was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancerous type of brain tumor that develops in the cerebellum, a part of the brain near the bottom of the skull that involves muscle coordination, balance and movement. Medulloblastoma is the most common type of cancerous brain tumor in children. Doctors usually treat kids who have this with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Treatment has improved in recent years, and more kids are making a full recovery.

Helen works full time as a server at Taco Mac in Canton. Her work friends have become her family, and have set up a GoFundMe account to help Helen focus on Caspian’s treatment.

“Any time Helen spends away from work is time without pay. We want to make sure that paying the bills is the furthest thing from her mind while she and fiance Ethan Melton give all of their focus to helping Caspian recover and get better,” said Skylar, a co-worker.

Today, Caspian remains at Scottish Rite, as he begins his third chemo treatment. “His doctors assure us that his survival rate is high,” Helen said. “Treatments must continue after we leave Scottish Rite, as well as frequent MRIs to ensure his tumor doesn’t return. Since Caspian’s diagnosis, I have not been able to work, and expenses are overwhelming. I would like to thank my family for their love and support, all the wonderful nurses at the pediatric intensive care unit and Aflac at Scottish Rite, my Taco Mac work family, and, most importantly, God for his grace and mercy,” Helen said.

Everyday Angels will accept donations for the Moores, or you may donate through GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/6f6b9ee2.

Please keep Caspian in your prayers.

Helen and her fiance, Ethan, with Caspian.

Everyday Angels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Cherokee County since 2000. To make a tax deductible donation, visit www.everydayangels.info to donate via Paypal, or send your donations to: Everyday Angels, PMB 380, 1025 Rose Creek Drive, Suite 620, Woodstock, GA 30189. One hundred percent of your funds will go to the family you specify. If you know of a special need in our community, email aaeverydayangels@gmail.com.

5Night Recipes Must-Try Simple School

After working all day, picking up your kids from school and taking them to sports practice, you probably aren’t itching to come home and cook a four-course meal. But, even on the busiest nights, you don’t have to make stopping at McDonald’s on the way home a part of your routine — and, if you do, we won’t judge! Here are some recipes submitted by your neighbors, to help make dinners at home fast and easy, when they need to be (aka most of the time).

Garlic Butter Baked Flounder

Sydney Galantiz, Woodstock

A low-carb side for this meal is asparagus, and you can cook it in the oven at the same time. Place the asparagus on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stick it in the oven when you put in the flounder. Check after 15 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 pound flounder filets • salt and pepper • paprika • cayenne pepper • garlic powder • 2 lemons • 4 tablespoons butter, divided • 3 teaspoons garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pat the flounder dry with paper towels. Season both sides liberally with salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Cut one lemon in thin slices and the other in wedges, for serving. Make a tin foil packet on a sheet pan. Place half of the butter in the packet, and add the seasoned fish filets. Top with minced garlic, lemon slices and remaining butter. Seal the foil packet, and place the pan in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

4-Ingredient Lazy Lasagna

Katie Phillips, Woodstock

This is a great recipe to make with kids. There’s no chopping involved, and they can help you layer the “lasagna.” Another plus is the prep time is short, and it’s on the table in less than an hour. When you’re shopping for ingredients to make this, pick up a salad kit as an easy side. Ingredients

• 1 jar (24-ounce) pasta sauce • 1 bag frozen ravioli • 16 ounces shredded mozzarella • ½ cup shredded parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish, and spread a thin layer of pasta sauce (less than 1 cup) in the bottom of the dish. Arrange about half of the frozen ravioli in a single layer over the sauce. Top with half of the remaining sauce and half of the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining ravioli, sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with parmesan.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown.

Note: If you like meatier recipes, add ground beef or mushrooms to the dish, or serve with meatballs. I like to use chunky pasta sauce to incorporate more vegetables.

Cuban-Style Mojo Pulled Pork

Cristina Markley, Canton

For a quick and easy meal, serve with buns for barbeque sandwiches. For a full meal, serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin, frozen • ½ bottle of Goya Mojo Criollo Marinade

Directions

Place pork in a Crock-Pot, and pour the marinade over the pork. Cook on low heat for 8 hours. Shred the pork in the Crock-Pot so it soaks the juice back up.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Janis Forrester, Canton Ingredients

• 1 (12.5-ounce) can cooked chicken breast, drained • salt and pepper • 1 can mixed vegetables, drained • 1 can cream of chicken soup • 1 can cream of potato soup • 1 can crescent rolls

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine chicken, salt and pepper (to taste), vegetables and soups into a bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture into a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish. Unroll crescent rolls and place on top of the filling. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Skillet Flat Iron Fajitas

Jeffrey Lee, Woodstock

Skip the marinade! You can make tasty fajitas without marinating your steak for hours. Serve with flour tortillas, guacamole, queso or sour cream. Ingredients

• 1 pound flat iron steak • 2 bell peppers (color of choice) • 1 small white onion • 1 ½ tablespoons fajita seasoning, separated • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Directions

Slice the steak, bell peppers and onion into strips. In a bowl, add the sliced steak and 1 tablespoon of fajita seasoning. Toss to coat. In a separate bowl, add vegetables and ½ tablespoon of fajita seasoning. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and vegetables to the hot skillet. Cook for 4 minutes, or just until vegetables begin to soften. Add the steak to the pan (Leave the vegetables in!), and stir frequently. Cook for 6 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached.