BURBANK : School Raises Funds for Young Survivor

A fund-raising effort is under way to help the family of a 6-year-old boy, who survived a rare blood disease, pay mounting medical and rehabilitation bills.

“We’re hoping we can fill the house and help this family,” said Bonnie Popp, a spokeswoman for the Parent-Teacher Organization of the American Lutheran Elementary School in Burbank, which has organized a benefit concert to be held Jan. 23.

Daniel Bridge, a kindergarten student at the school of about 100 pupils, received a bone-marrow transplant from his 7-month-old sister last year as treatment for Diamond-Blackfan syndrome, a rare blood disease that prevented his own bone marrow from producing new blood cells. The transplant cured the disease, but the boy later suffered two strokes and was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

The strokes will require years of rehabilitative therapy.

The parent-teacher group has put together a benefit concert featuring Craig ‘N Co., a rock band geared toward children and led by Craig Taubman, a Disney Co. recording artist popular with children. The concert will be held at the Burroughs High School auditorium.

“It has certainly shown us how much we need one another,” said Daniel’s mother, Melissa Bridge. Daniel is one of five Bridge children. “We are amazed at the love shown to us by the people.”