School Runs to the Aid of ‘Queen of the Aunt Beas’

When front-office receptionist Kathi Slocum was diagnosed with leukemia, the students, faculty and staff at Aliso Niguel High School rallied around her. That support will be evident today at a 5K run to raise money for her medical bills.

Slocum, 48, of Lake Forest, has been on medical leave since November for treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia and is awaiting a donor match for a bone-marrow transplant. Though her work is being done by several substitutes, the consensus on the Aliso Viejo campus is that nothing is the same.

Senior Shiraz Sheik, 17, describes Slocum as “a counselor, a mother, a teacher--anything but receptionist. She taught me everything I know about patience and generosity, about how you can depend on some people.”

When Sheik needed algebra help last year, he went to Slocum in a panic, he said. She helped him with his math while answering phones. “You can always come back for help,” she told him.

Slocum, nicknamed “queen of the Aunt Beas” after the beloved character on “The Andy Griffith Show,” is one of the best educators on campus, colleagues say.

Slocum is known and respected throughout the community for her contributions to the school. Besides student fund-raising projects like today’s race, the community has collected almost $10,000 in amounts ranging from handfuls of loose change to a $1,000 check from the school faculty.

Slocum is reluctant to talk about her condition and modest about her contribution to the school. She prefers not to focus attention on herself, she said, because “I’m there to make the school a good place, a comfortable place. That’s it.”

Because her immune system has been weakened by chemotherapy, she must avoid pets and plants.

“I live in a bubble . . . with air purifiers,” she said, leaving the house only for medical treatments.

“I do feel good. I do feel OK. I’m just tired and slower,” she said.

On campus Friday, many students wore running shoes to honor Slocum and said they will be in the run, which starts at 10:30 a.m. at the high school, at 28000 Terrace View Road. The entry fee is $25.