Carthage rallies for ailing toddler

CARTHAGE — Community members gathered at the Carthage Elks Club on Saturday to raise money for 17-month-old Lilliana G. Passage, Carthage, who recently was diagnosed with cancer.

"The community members have been absolute angels. We can't thank them enough for all their support," said Ashley Lynn Passage, Lilliana's mother.

Lilliana was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a rare cancer of the nervous system, on Oct. 8, Mrs. Passage said. Lilliana has two tumors, one under her eye and another in her chest. She is undergoing a cycle of chemotherapy. In the future she will have radiation and multiple surgeries to get rid of the tumors and the cancer cells in her bones.

The funds raised at the benefit will go toward medical bill payments, insurance payments and lodging in Syracuse, where Lilliana's treatments take place.

During the benefit, Lilliana ran around and played with other children. The pink pacifier in her mouth muffled her squeals of delight as her parents chased her around the room.

"You wouldn't even know she was sick," Mrs. Passage said.

The family has seen support from extended family members, friends and colleagues. Mrs. Passage is a teaching assistant at Carthage Elementary School, and several representatives from the Carthage Teachers Association approached her about hosting a bone marrow drive in honor of Lilliana. The drive will be held Thursday at Carthage High School.

The marrow drive was West Carthage Elementary School teacher Cherie Dicob's idea. Ms. Dicob said she wanted to rally community members to make a difference in fighting cancer.

"This could be the start of a life-changing sequence of events, and we could all use a little more inspiration and kindness in our lives," Ms. Dicob said at a recent Carthage Board of Education meeting.

Lilliana's doctors aren't yet sure if she'll need a bone marrow transplant. But the teachers wanted to host the drive anyway, hopefully to save someone else's life, Ms. Dicob said.

While Lilliana won't be a bone marrow transplant recipient as a result of the marrow drive this week, the effort is greatly appreciated, Mrs. Passage said.

For now, Mrs. Passage and her family are looking forward with a lot of hope and positive thoughts.

"She's a wonderful little girl, full of spirit and life," Mrs. Passage said, smiling at her daughter. "Our family and Lilliana's doctors have high hopes that we'll beat this."

The bone marrow drive will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Carthage High School cafeteria. Donors will be swabbed, and their information will be put into a bone marrow match registry where doctors can look for a match for their patients.

For more information, call Kelly Taylor with DKMS Americas bone marrow donation center, at 1 (212) 209-6739.