ALYSSA TEACHES KIDS ABOUT HER CANCER.They remember her well, the girls say. Alyssa was the first eighth-grader to welcome them two years ago when they walked into Scott Mandels' performing-arts class at Pacoima Middle School as scared sixth-graders. The Pacoima Singers group in the school's Television, Theatre and Performing Arts Magnet was nationally known for its excellence - even performing one year for then first lady Hillary Clinton. Mr. Mandels' standards were high. Were they good enough, talented enough, to follow in the footsteps of those who had sung in the award-winning, multiethnic mul·ti·eth·nic adj. Of, relating to, or including several ethnic groups. Adj. 1. multiethnic - involving several ethnic groups multi-ethnic performing group before them? Sure, Alyssa Gomez told them. Just relax and learn. You'll do great. ``She took us in like family,'' says Salia Wilson. ``For many of us, she was our first eighth-grade friend. It meant a lot for her to accept us like that.'' Now, the girls are eighth-graders themselves, welcoming a new crop of scared sixth-graders into Mr. Mandels' class. And explaining to them the story behind the song ``Winning the Fight,'' which they have just recorded on CD for the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, n.pr established in 1913, this national volunteer-based health organization is committed to the elimination of cancer through prevention and treatment and to diminishing cancer suffering through advocacy, scholarship, research, to help and support the former classmate who was there for them. Alyssa Gomez sat in a waiting room at UCLA Medical Center UCLA Medical Center is a hospital located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California. It is rated as one of the top three hospitals in the United States and is the top hospital on the West Coast according to US News & World Report. on Friday morning, talking about her hope that the Pacoima Singers' CD and a documentary she is making about her fight with leukemia leukemia (l  kē`mēə), cancerous disorder of the blood-forming tissues (bone marrow, lymphatics, liver, spleen) characterized by excessive production of immature or mature will help educate kids about cancer. In a few minutes, the sophomore at Granada Hills High School Granada Hills Charter High School (Granada Hills High School) is a public, charter, co-educational, secondary school consisting of students in grades 9-12. The school colors are green, black, and white. was scheduled to have another spinal tap spinal tap: see spinal puncture. . A 5-inch-long needle would be stuck in her lower back to draw out fluids that would be tested for leukemia cells. ``Then they'll inject chemo che·mo n. Chemotherapy or a chemotherapeutic treatment. into my spine and I'll be out of it for a week or so before I feel good enough to go back to school,'' Alyssa says matter-of-factly. She's been through this before - many times since being diagnosed with leukemia in October 2004. She smiles when she hears that the kids in Mr. Mandels' music class still remember her and are thinking of her. She sure remembers them. It sounds strange for a 15-year-old to be talking about the best years of her life being when she was performing with the Pacoima Singers at age 13, but you understand cancer doesn't care about better years to come. Even with her leukemia in remission, there are no guarantees, she knows. You can be 15 or 50, it doesn't make a difference. So enjoy the best years you have right now. ``When she was first diagnosed with leukemia, everybody wanted to know how they could help,'' said her mother, Yolanda. ``We knew we had to find a positive in something so negative.'' Alyssa called the American Cancer Society and asked what she could do. Educate her friends and classmates Classmates can refer to either:
``Alyssa was trying to find an answer to why this was happening to her,'' Yolanda says. ``Maybe it was to bring awareness and educate the young about cancer and the constant need for blood and platelet donations. ``Through all this pain, maybe she could help others.'' So that's what Alyssa's been doing. Every step of her cancer treatment is being videotaped for a documentary to show to kids. ``She doesn't want her friends and classmates to feel sorry for her, but she does want them to understand what cancer is all about,'' Yolanda says. ``They need to know that when she gets up and moves away from them if they sneeze sneeze, involuntary violent expiration of air through the nose and mouth. It results from stimulation of the nervous system in the nose, causing sudden contraction of the muscles of expiration. , she's not being rude. A cold could put her in the hospital.'' The CD her old friends in the Pacoima Singers made for her is just more ammunition she can use to educate other young people about cancer. At 12 and 13, these kids are too young to donate blood platelets to help her and other cancer victims, but their voices are plenty old enough to be heard. So Lily Ali-Oshatz, Rachel Rivera Rachel Rivera is a voice actress and has had roles in different anime, including the title role in Petite Princess Yucie. Rachel Rivera Anime Roles
Dennis McCarthy Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com FOR THE CD The Pacoima Singers' ``Winning the Fight'' and another song on the CD, ``Peace is Patriotic,'' is available for a $10 donation in the name of Alyssa Gomez to the American Cancer Society, 4940 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 301, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. For a copy of the CD, write to the Pacoima Singers Musical Theatre Group, 9919 Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon can refer to several things:
CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: In honor of one of their former members with leukemia, the Pacoima Singers have put out a CD to raise money for the American Cancer Society. David Sprague/Staff Photographer Box: FOR THE CD (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion