Inspiring 11-year-old with Lukemia has 1 Wish: To Receive Cards

The story posted below was recently published in the Tuscola County Advertiser a few weeks back and was circulated to me by my company's president as a plea for help. The story highlights a brave 11 year-old boy from Caro (you'll pass the town heading on I-75 in Michigan) who is fighting leukemia. His one wish? To receive cards.

The story indicates he has 2-4 weeks to live and that two weeks is up (and today is his 12th birthday). I've searched everywhere online and it appears that he is still hanging on. Won't you please just take a moment of your day to send him a card to brighten his day? He's such an inspiration...if only more people (ahem, adults) had the courage and passion for others like he has, the world would be a much better place.

Adrian, I'm praying for you. I recently sent you a few cards from my nephews and I...I hope they get to you soon! xoxo from Troy, Michigan.

One small wish
By Stacey Tucker

CARO — An 11-year-old who has courageously fought leukemia is asking if the community could grant him just one small wish - to send him a card.

Adrian Gerber was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when he was 8 years old. Over the past three years, he has battled his cancer and won twice, until it began to take a downward turn recently.

Gerber’s father, Randy Gerber, said the leukemia has begun to attack Adrian’s liver.
“The cancer cells are increasing, the leukemia cells are increasing and his liver enzymes are increasing” Gerber said. “They’re giving him just two weeks, maybe a month to live.
“We’re hoping he makes it to his 12th birthday on the 21st of this month.”

Although Adrian has been fighting hard to save his own life, the young man never quits thinking about everyone else.

Scott Schalow, whose daughter Leah has battled cancer, remembers a time when Adrian lifted her spirits when she needed it the most.

“My daughter never took her chemo really well and one day we were in her room and, without a knock, the door opens and it’s Adrian,” Schalow said. “Without so much as a word, he walks up and he lays these quarters on her pillow and he tells her to go to the vending machine and to get something good when she’s done.

“Then he quietly left the room, to face his own chemo treatment. I will go to my grave remembering that incredible act of selflessness.”

Adrian would also wander up a floor at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor and could be found telling the children jokes, just to see them smile.

Randy Gerber said Adrian has taught him more in the last three years than he could learn in a lifetime.

“He has taught me what’s really important in life,” Gerber said. “It feels like he’s the strongest while we’re the weakest.

“I’m proud to have him as a son.”

With everything Adrian has been facing recently, his mother, Tina Smith said a card in the mail really makes his day.

“It’s a hard road that he’s been going down and right now we’re doing everything we can to brighten up his day,” she said. “It would be nice for him to know that the community is thinking about him.”

Leah Schalow agreed.

“I really hope a lot of people send cards to him. That would really make his day,” she said. “He’s just a really great person and it’s just horrible that something like this happened to him.”

Anyone interested in sending Adrian a card may do so at P.O. Box 201, Caro MI, 48723. He likes funny animal cards, loves dogs and hunting.

Mom Update

Good news -- my mom had her minor surgery and it went well and she is now cancer free. Granted, spots can come back, but at least now she is aware and knows what signs to look for.

I don't know about your personal beliefs, but this situation has really helped me to understand the true power of prayer... thanks to those of you who kept her in your thoughts.

The dreaded C-word

The C-word. Probably the most dreaded word to come out of a family member's mouth -- CANCER.

I was taken aback yesterday when my Mom and I were browsing for wedding supplies at Michael's and she casually told me that she has a type of skin cancer called basel cell carcinoma. When she noticed my horrified stare back, she reassured me it was "not serious" and I have nothing to worry about. But, being a perpetual worrier, especially with my family's health, I freaked out on her. "What do you mean not serious? The doctor told you you have cancer! That is not a subject I take lightly!" She further explained how she had an appointment to get the spot removed and how lucky she was to catch it early on. In fact, she called it a blessing from God because she actually had gone to the doctor for another reason and due to her age (early 60's), he decided to look around a bit and that's how he stumbled across the suspicious spot on her back.

Being the web-savvy person I am, I wrote down the doctor's diagnoses right there in Michael's, knowing the moment I had a chance to do a little research, I would. (Praise God for the Internet!) I was able to figure out all I needed to. I learned skin cancer is divided into two major groups: non-melanoma and melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer, and is the most common form of cancer in the United States. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, 75 percent of all skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas (and most are due to exposure to sun). Additionally, Basal cell skin cancer almost never spreads. But, if left untreated, it may grow into surrounding areas and nearby tissues and bone.

Not the most encouraging words... after all, there's not a 100 percent cancer cure out there yet. I am confident my mom's doctor can rid her of the dreaded c-word. Nonetheless, it's a scary thing and it would mean a lot to me if you could keep her in your thoughts/prayers.

Today starts a new thought process for me. When I would come home from college with a bronze tan from fakin' and bakin', my Mom would tell me "You shouldn't do that -- I regret my teen years doing that now." She'd lecture me on wearing sunscreen in the booth and I would just shrug it off as Mom-bable. I thought, "So what if I start with a burn? It'll turn to a tan in a few days!"

Being a pale redhead, I should know better and try my best not to burn. With my mom's recent incident, I really have the fire in me now to protect my skin more than ever, especially because I've been so negligent in the past.

A golden tan may look good now, but a cancer-free future sounds like a much better option to me.