My beautiful daughter Irene was born in August 1996.  She was diagnosed as having a compromised immune system when she was one year old. After going thru the process of needing an Ng- tube for feedings, then a Mickey button, and finally ending up with a Broviac central line for her TPN, not to mention the monthly IgG treatments, I thought my family had been through the most difficult part of her life. I was very wrong.  In February of this year, Irene had a terrible headache that Motrin alone would not take care of. 

So after I got off work I took Irene in to see her pediatrician. After they saw her he recommended we have an x-ray to rule out pneumonia. Well we were admitted and after several weeks in the hospital Irene had 4 needle biopsies to her lungs and ended up with a chest tube.  Her pediatrician told her dad and me that she had Lymphoma. That news was given to us on a Thursday. By Monday we were referred to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston where more tests were run and she was given a diagnosis of Stage 3 Lymphoma and Epstein Barr Syndrome secondary to her immunosuppression. Now we wait until there is a bone marrow match as this is what she is needing now to cure her.  I have to say that although she has lived most of her life in and out of hospitals Irene has been able to keep up her grades in school and continued to have as normal a teenage life as possible.  She is definitely my HERO and my motivation to keep on going. 

Irene’s family and many other Candlelighters families have to travel out of town and back many times. Travel costs are a significant burden they must bear. Candlelighters would appreciate any donation of airline miles for our families. 

If you know of anyone who wishes to donate excess airline miles, please have them call Mary Vasquez at the Candlelighters Office at 544-2222.