Emotional ending: - page 12 DARLEINE HEITMAN
Volume 22. Issue 6
inside
November 21, 2011
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A child’s battle with leukemia
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PHOTOS: QUINTON BEMILLER
Children’s Hospital Dr. Yues deClerck treats Jade Bemiller, daughter of Chaffey instructor.
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long with his wife Megan, art history instructor Quinton Bemiller has had to face every parent’s worst nightmare. Until recently, the Bemillers seemed to have three healthy daughters: seven-yearold Lillie, four-year-old Jade, and newborn Violet. However, this year Jade began to manifest health problems. “Jade would wake up in the middle of the night crying,” Professor Bemiller said. “During the day she would feel fatigue and her lower left leg was in pain.” Right before her fourth birthday on April 29, Jade was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia).
It’s at least fortunate to receive the diagnosis at Jade’s early age, because leukemia the most treatable for that age group, with a success rate of 85-90 percent. “Jade stays very confident and she never complained of having ALL,” Bemiller said. After being diagnosed with the disease Jade was accepted to the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, where she began chemotherapy and is now in the hands of Dr. Yues deClerck. “I want people’s support and even donations if people want to, but more importantly I want people to be aware of what leukemia is and what people can do to help,” Bemiller said. Jade will remain in treatment under deClerck’s care for the next two-and-a-half
years, until she is stable or cured. When she isn’t attending her therapy, Jade has fun by taking walks to the park with her father, helping cook in the kitchen, and accompanying her parents to fine art shows. “Jade barely started preschool when she was diagnosed, so we’re all excited for her to start school again,” Bemiller said. Anyone interested in supporting Jade is advised to visit Jadesfight.weebly.com or the “Jade’s Fight to Beat Leukemia” group page on FaceBook, where Jade’s story is regularly updated. Those who want to increase their understanding of leukemia can visit the web site for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society http://www.lls.org.