Students come together with childhood cancer survivors

Joseph Bustamante, who is the son of Javier and Yadira Bustamante, attends the Enterprise Early Education Center and was diagnosed with Langerhans Histiocytosis at age three. He’s been in remission since October of last year.

Riley Stewart, a first grader at Pinedale Elementary School, is the daughter of Earnest and Kathy Stewart. She was diagnosed at age two with acute leukemia and is currently in remission.

She is also the namesake of Pinedale Elementary’s Relay for Life team, “Team Riley.”

Marie McCormick, the daughter of Anna and Daniel McCormick, was diagnosed with leukemia at age five. She received a bone marrow transplant in 2008, and has been in remission for four years.

Jacob Braden was born with Rhabdomyosarcoma to parents Jennifer and Brian Braden. He has now been in remission for nine years and attends Holly Hill Elementary School.

Joseph Rushing, the son of Bobby and Amy Rushing, attends Coppinville Junior High School and was diagnosed with neuroblastoma of the spine in 2000. He is currently off of treatment.

Jamel Swanson, son of Chistine and Clifton Cox, was unable to attend the pep rally because he was in Birmingham for treatment.

Lucas Salomon, son of Katharina Salomon, was also diagnosed with acute leukemia. He’s been off of treatment for four years and will graduate Enterprise High School this year with the Class of 2013.

Corbyn Wile, daughter of Melinda and Scott Wile, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in 2011. She is currently being treated for the disease but still attends Enterprise High School, where she is a senior.

Hannah Knight is the daughter of Angela and Tom Knight. She is a member of the Enterprise High School Class of 2011, and was diagnosed with Clear Cell Sarco that same year. She is still undergoing treatments, but, according to EHS Principal Matt Rodgers, is doing great.

Marielle Franco and her family were also recognized during the pep rally.

Marielle is a senior at Enterprise whose younger brother Brendan passed away last Thursday after a yearlong bout with cancer.

“What a fabulous young man Brendan was, and what a legacy he’s left in Enterprise, Alabama,” Rodgers said. “A foundation for Children’s Hospital in Birmingham was started on his behalf, and if Brendan was here today I think he’d have a big smile on his face.”

After each family was recognized Wile spoke to the crowd about the tragedy of childhood cancer.

She said she supports awareness of every cancer, but went on to say it isn’t fair breast cancer receives so much attention every October when Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is hardly commemorated at all.

“It’s not fair that kids are going through high school with no hair and it’s not fair the children are learning to ride bicycles in the halls of hospitals,” Wile said. “I just think we owe it to ourselves to come together to raise awareness and try to find a cure for every cancer. It affects everyone in some way.”

Students at Enterprise High School have been raising money for cancer research throughout the past few weeks, and so far have collected $1,334.59.

Donations will end Sept. 28, and all the proceeds will go to the Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

“Enterprise High School wants to say we love you and we admire you,” Rodgers said. “These kids represent everything that’s right in the world today. They’re great people and they’re great families.”