Flying away from cancer

Lolita Harper

SOUTH SAN FERNANDO DISTRICT -- A year ago, Jeffrey Cusumano would have

been too sick fighting leukemia to run around. But thanks to three long

years of treatment, he was playing outside Saturday with the rest of the

kids who attended a fund-raiser at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse that

raised more than $16,000 for cancer research.

“I went on the slide 20 times and I got lots and lots of balloons,”

said Jeffrey, 7, who’s been off chemotherapy for eight months. “I was

pretending that I was flying away.”

When he was diagnosed with leukemia almost four years ago, it was his

mother, Bettina, who wished they could all just fly away and escape the

disease.

“It was so hard watching him go through hard-core chemotherapy,” she

said. “During the first year, he was barely healthy enough to stay home.”

Jeffrey now is in remission and enjoys playing soccer and Pokemon --

the blue version -- on his Game Boy. For his birthday, in February, he

wants more Pokemon, a treehouse and a new play set -- confirming that he

plans to stay active.

Miss Burbank Dawn Gunn, who met Jeffrey and other young survivors

Saturday, was happy to see living proof of the help that cancer research

has provided.

“It was kind of sad because they’re really little and they’ve been

through so much,” she said. “But it’s so great to see them up and running

around.”

Gunn, 19, was only one of the many teenagers who volunteered her time.

Miss Teen Burbank and kids from various high school organizations helped

sell raffle tickets, prepare food, greet people and clean up.

“The best part of the day was watching the kids from the community get

involved,” said Rob Deliema of BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse. Deliema said

BJ’s will raise more than $200,000 this year for various charities.

The restaurant, along with other sponsors, donated the food, space and

manpower for the event. The community, including members of the Burbank

police and fire departments, supported the cause by attending.

Although events like this continue to fund ongoing research, and

Jeffrey’s health has improved, there is more to be done, Bettina Cusumano

said.

“It still goes on. It’s not ever over,” she said.