Fund drive ongoing for boy with cancer
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 3, 2008
SCOTTOWN — The fund drive continues to help the 12-year-old Scottown boy fighting childhood leukemia after he was rushed Sunday back to Children’s Hospital.
Ervin Ray White had come home Wednesday evening after about a two-week hospitalization in Columbus.
He had been transported by a medical helicopter there Aug. 16 after he was diagnosed with ALL or acute lymphoblastic leukemia at Cabell Huntington Hospital.
ALL, a cancer of the white blood cells, is the most common cancer in children, with one of the highest success rates. About 85 percent of children with ALL live five or more years, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Ervin Ray had just come from a checkup at Cabell Huntington Friday when he had a seizure on the way home, his mother said Tuesday from his room at Children’s Hospital.
On Sunday the young boy was taken to Columbus a second time by medical helicopter.
“He has pneumonia in both lungs, an infection on the brain and the chemotherapy they have him on is causing the seizures,” Melisa Walters, his mother, said. “They are looking for a sister medicine for what he is on. They haven’t found anything yet to give him. Right now, he is struggling really bad. Really bad.”
Two weeks ago, friends of the family started a fund for Ervin Ray at Liberty Federal Savings Bank to help with ongoing expenses.
“Any kind of specialized stuff that insurance doesn’t carry,” Kay Freeman, a neighbor, said at the time the fund was opened.
Anyone wishing to contribute may do so by sending a check made out to Liberty Federal Savings Bank, FBO Ervin Ray White, and send it to the bank at P.O. Box 598 Proctorville, OH 45669 or P.O. Box 496, Ironton, OH 45638.
Right now the boy is awake and on eight medications as well as intravenous feedings.
“He is struggling so bad. It is hurting so bad to see,” Walters said. “My hands are tied. I don’t like being in that position. Have everyone pray.”