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Community pulls together
for Wheeler family Posted: Wednesday, Dec 15, 2004 -
12:19:43 pm EST By Wendy Miller-Wary-Warrick
Publishing Online
Mallory Wheeler spends time
coloring in her hospital room. She was recently
diagnosed with leukemia. Photo courtesy of the
Wheeler family
Eight-year-old Mallory Wheeler
hadn't been feeling well for four or five
months. She had been running a high fever off
and on and had missed several days of
school.
The Sharon Elementary second
grader was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease in
October, but something wasn't right.
The
day after Thanksgiving, her parents rushed
Mallory to the hospital, where more tests were
administered in attempt to find out what was
wrong.
Doctors decided Mallory's blood
didn't look right, but they were unsure
why.
They did a
colonoscopy, a biopsy of her stomach and a bone
marrow scrape to investigate.
It was the
bone marrow scrape that gave them the answer
they'd been searching for. Mallory had leukemia.
After a day or two of analyzing, the doctors
decided it was acute lymphocytic leukemia, the
most common type of leukemia in children under
the age of 15.
On Nov. 30, Mallory was
rushed to Kosair Children's Hospital in
Louisville, Ky. Her aunt, Amy Bailey of
Indianapolis, said Mallory immediately received
a blood transfusion upon arrival at the
hospital. The following day, Mallory went in for
a bone marrow tap and spinal tap. Doctors
decided to go ahead and administer Mallory's
first chemotherapy treatment during the
procedure, one of many to occur over the next
two years.
Bailey said one of the most
heart-breaking realizations for Mallory was the
fact she would not be able to return to school;
"She cried. She was so sad."
But, the
support from her school and her community has
given Mallory's family new hope, said
Bailey.
First of all, Mallory's teacher,
Lisa Royster, came to visit her in the hospital,
bringing several items collected by Sharon
Elementary students, parents and teachers.
Bailey said the Wheeler family was very touched
by Royster's visit and the fact she spent half
the day visiting with Mallory.
The family
is also very grateful to the school for all of
the support it has given them through the
collection of funds to help pay Mallory's
medical bills.
"The second grade has been
collecting money for (a program at) St. Mary's
all year, but since this is so much closer to
home, they've decided to give this money to
her," said Bailey. "And the parents have been
wonderful, saying, 'Yes, let's do
this.'"
Bailey said it is expected to
cost between $700,000 and $1 million for
Mallory's treatments, which will continue for
the next two-and-a-half years. She has set up a
trust fund for her niece at 5/3 Bank in
Mallory's name for collecting community
donations to assist the family with those
costs.
Anyone wishing to donate may make
his or her contribution at any local 5/3 Bank
branch.
Bailey has also been working with
a bead maker in Indianapolis who has agreed to
create a bead just for Mallory. Another woman
has offered to use the special beads to make
bracelets, which will be sold to help raise
funds for the family.
An Indianapolis
retailer has already agreed to sell the
bracelets, said Bailey. Anyone outside the
Indianapolis area may contact Bailey by e-mail
at my1angelmal@yahoo.com for more information or
to purchase the bracelets.
In addition to
the help the family has received from Mallory's
school, Bailey said others in the community have
also come together to support the family.
Mallory's father, Sheridan "Stumpy" Wheeler,
works at Brake Supply.
Bailey said the
company and its employees have done a lot to
help out, sending a care package to the hospital
and also helping raise funds through a half-pot
drawing the employees hold during each pay
period.
"They sent a huge care package up
there and they have just been absolutely
wonderful in supporting her and the family,"
said Bailey.
Mallory's mother, Robin,
will have to quit her job to help care for
Mallory and make the weekly trip to Louisville,
Ky., where Mallory will continue her
treatments.
Bailey said Mallory will
receive chemotherapy treatments once a week at
Kosair Children's Hospital, and every third
week, she'll have to have a spinal tap and bone
marrow tap during her visit.
Mallory will
begin taking chemotherapy pills in January, she
added.
Mallory returned home last week
for the first time since her
diagnosis.
Bailey said once again, the
community showed the family an outpouring of
support as Mallory received a police escort into
town, and was surprised with a huge gathering of
classmates, parents, teachers and members of the
community who welcomed her home with more than
30 signs of love and encouragement.
"That
really made Mallory's day to see all those
people there," said Bailey.
Bailey said
her sister, Robin, wanted to "thank everyone for
their support--the community, the school and
family. She said she's overwhelmed. She can't
believe how wonderful and generous everyone has
been."
