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Honored Patients
Are you a current patient or blood cancer survivor? Sign up to be an Honored Hero. As an Honored Hero you can help motivate and inspire others to make a difference.
What is an Honored Hero? Simply put, an Honored Hero is an inspiration. So often people are asked to raise funds for a charity with very little connection or understanding of how valuable their efforts really are. By honoring an individual whose life has been affected by leukemia, lymphoma or another type of blood cancer, walkers will be better able to understand the incredible results of their fundraising. They will be provided with a brief bio about the Honored Hero and may wish to communicate with them through email, a phone call or letters. As they fundraise, they gain inspiration from the Honored Hero, a person who continues to fight the battle of a lifetime.
What are the benefits? You will experience a community of new friends who are joined in the quest to find a cure, receive invitations for you and your family to attend events and festivities, have a chance to help raise awareness about blood cancers, and have the ability to inspire others to help raise funds in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's mission.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Tricia Jarmer, Patient Services Manager, at (310) 846-4704 or tricia.jarmer@lls.org.
Our Inspirations: Greater LA Honored Heroes
Tyler Cordova
Seven-year-old Tyler has always been full of energy. You can see his joy for life in his irrepressible smile. Unfortunately, in March 2007 his spirit was tested when he was daignosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Unfortunately, Tyler has had a few setbacks in his treatment. He has relapsed twice, in his brain and bone marrow. Tyler had a stem cell transplant last fall, and after spending several months recovering in the hospital, he is home and enjoys playing basketball, taking hikes, and the simple pleasures of being a kid.
Team Tyler Cordova has participated in the Santa Clarita Light The Night Walk for several years and beams when you ask him about being a Light The Night Honored Hero!
Noah Hurney
Noah Hurney was only 2 1/2 years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in October, 2006. Throughout his treatment, he has been a hero to all who know him. All the chemotheraphy, oral medications, spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations and transfusions have not robbed him of his fun and loving spirit.
Currently, Noah is in remission but will be in maintenance therapy until 2010. Noah attends pre-kindergarten class where he enjoys art projects and playing in the sandbox. He is considering a career as a fireman, truck driver, or astronaut.
Noah is so proud to be a Light The Night Honored Hero. His mom says he can't believe he has acheived the status of fellow superheroes like Spiderman, Batman, and Luke Skywalker.
Nathaniel Arteaga
Nathaniel was only 2 years old when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) on March 11, 2008. Despite having to endure chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and oral medications, he always has a smile on his face. His family describes him as loveable, friendly, and outgoing.
Nathaniel wants to join the army when he grows up, and sees his dad as his role model because he is "awesome!" He loves Spongebob Squarepants and playing soccer.
Now at age 4, Nathaniel is currently undergoing chemotherapy once a month. He is looking forward to starting pre-kindergarten class in September. In honor of his battle, Team Nathaniel participates in Light The Night Walk in Santa Clarita to raise much-needed funds.
Natasha Duswalt
Natasha Duswalt owns a large modeling agency. She is a wife and mother to three energetic boys. Her busy life came to an unexpected, screeching halt in October, 2006 when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease.
Although she didn't feel very positive about her circumstances, she was positive about one thing: she wanted to live! She told herself, "Cancer picked the wrong girl!"
With a strong sense of determination, Natasha underwent chemotherapy every two weeks and began her daily struggle to beat her cancer. Now years later, Natasha says she wonders if "cancer came into my life because I am a person of action. Whatever the case may be, I am here to say that cancer is not a sentence; it is just a word."
Jakob Duchesneau
Jakob Duchesneau was diagnosed with acute
lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) at the age of 3. Despite responding well to his initial chemotherapy treatment, at the age of 5, Jakob relapsed while still under therapy, leaving him to endure nearly 4 1/2 years of treatment at the UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital.Through it all, Jakob always remained upbeat and dreamed of the day that he could do outdoor activities such as fly fishing. Today, now 9 and starting 4th grade, Jakob is in remission and is doing well. He loves baseball, soccer, "Pokemon" and, of course, fly fishing and is a good big brother to James and John.
Honey Duran
For three weeks of every month, Honey Duran is usually full of energy. It's that week of chemotherapy each month that makes life tough for this sweet 4-year-old girl.
In 2008, at age 3, Honey was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). She was admitted to Kaiser Hospital where she spent the following five weeks undergoing treatment. For the next two years, Honey must receive chemotherapy each month, and will continue taking chemo pills daily and antibiotics every weekend.
Although the chemo saps Honey's strength, Honey's mother says her daughter's appetite for mashed potatoes never fails. And when she?s up to it, Honey loves riding her new pink bicycle, singing the ABC's and playing with her dolls.
Henry Tarica
In 2004 when Henry Tarica learned he had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, he says, "I was waiting for the ground to open up and swallow me." However, within a split second, Henry told himself, "No, I am going to fight this cancer and beat it." Since then Henry has been fighting and winning the battle of his life.
Through it all Henry keeps smiling - a joy to be around. He captains his Oh Henry! Walk Team for the Light The Night Walk at Warner Center Park, named after the Oh Henry! candy bar.
Henry attributes his strength to his loving family: wife Renee, his wonderful children and grandchildren. He also says he wants to thank all of you who support LLS "for giving me life."
Evan Gabor
On August 16, 2007, at 23 months old, Evan Gabor's life was changed forever. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Today, Evan is winning his battle against cancer. He has gone through seven different phases of chemotherapy, endless transfusions and several spinal taps. His next big hurdle will be cranial radiation, which his family hopes and prays he will get through with minimal side effects.
An energetic 4-year-old, Evan enjoys trains and trucks and playing with his older brother Trevor. To see him today you would never think he has cancer.
Evan and his entire extended family participate in Light The Night Walk as Team Evan. His family says, "We can't thank you enough for participating in Light The Night!"
Raquel Nunez
Twelve-year-old Raquel Nuñez has a smile that lights up every room she enters. Even when she learned she had chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in July 2008, her smile never dimmed.
Each month Raquel must return to Children?s for an all-day treatment session. She and her mom have to catch a bus to make the trek to the hospital. Although the procedures sap her strength for a few days, Raquel doesn?t let it stop her from her passions: playing volleyball, drawing and cooking.
Today, this seventh grader who loves math and science is looking forward to turning thirteen this August and joining her family and friends at the Warner Center park Light The Night Walk!
Tina Holland
Tina is a wife and mother of two boys. Doctors discovered her cancer in 2005 when she went in for back surgery.
No one in Tina's family were a match for the bone marrow transplant she needed, so Tina?s doctor prescribed an oral medication funded by LLS called Gleevec® to block development of the leukemia cells. It packs the punch of chemotherapy without some of the harsher side effects, like hair loss and intestinal distress. "It's a miracle pill," Tina says, "It keeps the cancer at bay."
Very few people knew Tina had leukemia until her son Caden went door-to-door asking neighbors to support their new Light The Night walk team. "He brought me out of my shell," Tina says of Caden. He's an inspiration to walk teams everywhere ? Congratulations Caden!
Noble Melgoza
Five-year-old Noble enjoys many of the same activities as other active kids his age. He enjoys riding his scooter, playing Wii with his brother Gustavo, coloring pictures, and watching Disney movies. But, unlike many children his age, Noble also spends time fighting a brave battle against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
Noble is winning his battle, and is currently in remission from ALL. He receives chemotherapy treatments once a month and has Lumbar Punchure every three months.
Noble also enjoys reading and spending time with family and friends. In fact, team Noble's Angels attends the Light The Night Walk every year to help raise money and save the lives of kids just like him!
Mateo Franco
Mateo began his journey with leukemia when he was diagnosed at the age of seven. He was gearing up for soccer season in September, 2005 when he began to feel sick with a terrible sore throat and fever. After several tests and trips to the doctor, Mateo's family discovered that he had leukemia. Suddenly, soccer would have to wait.
Mateo faced nearly four years of chemotherapy with courage and resilience, and today he is in remission and enjoying life as an active 12-year-old.
Besides soccer, Mateo enjoys camping and boating with his family and friends. He is also a loyal Lakers and Dodgers fan. Team Mateo has participated in the Santa Clarita Valley Light The Night Walk for years, raising thousands of dollars in our fight to find a cure.
Stevie Ramos
Stevie Ramos was only 2 years old in 2007 when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). News that their little boy had cancer was just the beginning of a long journey that Stevie and his family were about to take.
Now 4 years old, Stevie has only a year and a half left of treatment. His family anxiously awaits that final day! Although the effects of treatment can be draining, Stevie manages to find the energy to work with Play-Doh and watch his favorite movie "Shrek."
His parents Patricia and Steve captain the Light The Night team "Stevie?s Soldiers" in honor of their son, and walk at Griffith Park in Los Angeles. They look forward to the day Stevie is cancer free.
Gavin Wolfrank
In 2006, when he was only seven months old, Gavin Wolfrank was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). His family waited and worried as Gavin spent his first five days in a hospital intensive care unit. What followed for Gavin were weeks of high dose chemotherapy, blood transfusions, bone marrow tests and spinal taps.
Today, with three years of maintenance treatments and tests now under his belt, Gavin is feeling much better. He's able to be a lot more active and play outdoors. His mother Diana reports that Gavin is a typical 3-year-old boy, interested in motorcycles, trucks and all vehicles that go "vroom."
He and his family are well-known for their little red "Team Gavin" wagon at the Light The Night Walk that takes place at Griffith Park.
Thais Chung
Thais was diagnosed on January 20, 2009. He missed the majority of kindergarten due to his treatment and has experienced many heartbreaking firsts during his treatment, such as his first night in the hospital without his mother.
Despite having three more years of treatment left, Thais, with the help of his family, maintains the humor and spirit of any healthy 7-year-old boy. He is now in the first grade and recently finished his second season of playing soccer. Thais is also an active cub scout; he looks forward to earning more merit badges and especially his snow merit badge, which he will earn on his one-day ski-trip.
Andrew MacMahon
Fans of the musical group "Jack's Mannequin" know Andrew McMahon as the front man with the lush tenor voice and expressive piano skills. What they may not know is that Andrew is a survivor of leukemia.
In the summer of 2004, this young musician from Orange County had just finished touring with the punk-pop quintet "Something Corporate." He began writing his own songs which would form the basis for the first album from Jack's Mannequin called "Everything in Transit."
The day he finished mastering the album's last song in June of 2005, Andrew learned he had leukemia. He had to put his musical career on hold and start chemotherapy immediately. The chemo led to a bout of pneumonia that nearly killed him. When he was well enough, Andrew underwent a stem cell transplant using donor cells from his sister. Today, Andrew is in full remission.
Andrew's experience with leukemia has not only found expression in his music but in his support of Light The Night Walk as well as his own non-profit Dear Jack Foundation which also funds cancer research. Andrew says his second album "The Glass Passenger" is "not about recovering from cancer, it?s just about recovering. It was a difficult time, but also one of immense hope."
Jon Alvarez
Jon was diagnosed with Acute Lymphcytic Leukemia (ALL) at the age of 13. He bravely describes his battle with cancer as "a learning experience."
"During my battle with cancer at the age of 13, I spent endless days fighting for my life in the hospital with the dark overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, the various medications, complications which I overcame, and the long road to recovery." As a result of Jon's chemotherapy medications, he was also diagnosed with Diabetes, an affliction he continues to battle today.
"I prefer not to think of my battles as negative, sorrowful experiences but as a learning experience which has made me into the stronger and more positive person I am today," Jon says. "I have just graduated high school and will be going to CSUN this August. I'd like to make a difference in someone's life, so that they don't have to feel like I did. I'd like to be able to continue supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Who knows what the future holds for us all? Nothing is impossible."
Catalina Villar
On July 31, 2009, Catalina was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). On the date of diagnosis she was one year, eleven months old.
She has had to experience multiple blood and platelet transfusions, spinal taps, and chemotherapy treatments. Throughout her treatment she has responded well and will remain on maintenance therapy until she is released on October 8, 2011.
She is just getting her hair back which she lost in February and has always been an inspiration to beat this disease. She is so full of life and has a wonderful spirit through it all.
