CAMARILLO : Young Survivors of Cancer Enjoy Party

Elizabeth Macchi is 4 years old and lucky to be alive.

Last year, she was diagnosed with leukemia, for which she undergoes regular chemotherapy treatments. She catches the flu and colds easily, and has been in and out of the hospital countless times. She almost died from pneumonia once.

In a week, she will celebrate her fifth birthday at the family’s Camarillo home with her twin sister Nicole, and her family is hopeful that Elizabeth will be around for many more anniversaries.

“There are not a lot of childhood survivors of cancer,” said Carole Macchi, her mother. “On a day-to-day basis, it’s hairy.”

On Sunday, Elizabeth spent the afternoon playing at a carnival with other children who suffer from cancer. Dressed in a pink dress and a white hat, the little girl ran around gobbling popcorn and giggling at the clowns.

“Last year, she was really sick,” Macchi said. “We practically had to carry her here.”

The American Cancer Society and the Ventura chapter of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Owners hosted its second annual carnival Sunday at Camarillo Baptist Church for about a dozen children and their families.

Leather-clad motorcyclists gave children rides on their bikes and entertained them with games and music. Clowns, pony rides and a staged gunfight were big hits, as well as cotton candy, snow cones and popcorn.

And many children--mostly under 10 years old--were given white caps so that they wouldn’t be embarrassed about having little or no hair because of chemotherapy treatments.

“The children so rarely get out,” said Paul East, a spokesman for the motorcyclists. “This gives them a chance to get out, and it’s therapeutic.”

The event is equally beneficial for parents as well as children, Macchi said. Parents can meet others who share the same anxieties and fears, she said.

“You become real isolated,” Macchi said. “The phone stops ringing when people find out your child has cancer. People don’t want to see your child die.”

Suzette Jimenez, a 24-year-old single mother from Ventura, said she feels lucky compared to some of the other parents because her 2-year-old son Al is expected to recover.

Doctors removed a brain tumor last year and the prognosis is good, Jimenez said.

“They say if it doesn’t return in five years, he’ll be all right,” Jimenez said.

She then looked at her small son and hugged him tight.