Outpouring of support for Longview girl continues with Sunday car wash fundraiser
Saturday, April 19, 2008 12:24 AM PDT
By Carrie Pederson
Printable version
E-mail this articleSince their nine-year-old daughter Hannah was diagnosed with leukemia early this month, Danni and Dan Wicken are counting their true friends.
They have many, it turns out.
“You don’t know how many friends you have until something this devastating happens,” said Danni Wicken, a lifetime Longview resident. “It’s awesome.”
Neighbors, classmates and co-workers have showered the family with meals and toys, organized car washes and raffles and held other fundraisers.
“All the real estate community jumped on board,” said Lisa Thompson, a Realtor who met Danni Wicken, an escrow officer with the Chicago Title Insurance Company, through work.
She’s helping to host a car wash from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at 1312 Vandercook Way.
The Chicago Title Insurance Co. has been collecting gifts for the family. Workers also have set up the Hannah Wicken Family Assistance account at the Bank of America and have received donations from the Lions’ Club, Kiwanis Clubs and other organizations.
The family’s hair stylist Tish Harper, owner of Visions of Hair, will is holding a raffle for each of the six months Hannah’s will undergo chemotherapy.
The Parent Teacher Organization at Robert Gray, Hannah’s school, plans fundraisers later this year for Hannah and two other students diagnosed with leukemia this year, said Principal Scott Moultine.
Mount Solo Middle School, where Hannah’s 12-year-old brother Tyler attends, may also be doing some fundraising, Dan Wicken said.
Cancer survivor Mike Bettineski, who works with Hannah’s mom at Chicago Title, has helped spearhead co-workers’ efforts on behalf of Hannah and her family. He says “Karma” is involved because Danni Wicken has helped other co-workers cope with tragedies.
Early this month, Hannah was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), which means malignant white blood cells are displacing and disrupting normal blood cells in her bone marrow.
Her parents feared something was wrong when Hannah complained of neck pains and fatigue and developed nose bleeds.
“She would come home from school and go to bed,” Danni Wicken said. It wasn’t like Hannah who was “usually bouncing off the walls.”
Doctors started chemotherapy the day after the diagnosis at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland.
AML is rare and “it’s very aggressive chemo,” said Dan Wicken, an employee of Three Rivers Industrial Machine in Kelso. The first 10 days were “very rough.”
“Now that she’s done she’s been sitting in the chair for and hour at a time and playing games,” he said. “She came off the chemo good, and that’s the best news so far.”
Hannah said she has been playing Sorry, Monopoly, drawing pictures and painting.
Because chemotherapy walloped her immune system, Hannah is isolated, mainly seeing only her mom and dad.
“I don’t get to see my brothers very much,” Hannah said by phone Friday. Some of her school friends have visited her, and she sees another classmate coming to Doernbecher’s for treatment. If everything goes well Hannah will spend about one week at home between each chemo session, her mom said.
The outcome of how the treatment will work is still totally unknown, according to her father.
Neither parent has worked since Hannah’s diagnosis, and co-workers have donated vacation time so they can be by their daughter’s side. They take turns staying with Hannah and taking care of Tyler in Longview.
They don’t know what the treatments will cost and how much will be covered by their health insurance. “We go day by day. One day at a time is all we can handle,” Dan Wicken said.
He said the family is “overwhelmed” and “very pleased” with all of the support from the community.
Give us info! wrote on Apr 19, 2008 2:09 AM:
lola wrote on Apr 19, 2008 7:37 AM:
citizen wrote on Apr 19, 2008 7:37 AM:
Dance Mom wrote on Apr 19, 2008 8:30 AM:
stay strong! wrote on Apr 19, 2008 8:58 AM:
lola wrote on Apr 19, 2008 9:16 AM:
As a mom... wrote on Apr 19, 2008 9:18 AM:
BIGDAR wrote on Apr 19, 2008 10:19 AM:
Very sad... wrote on Apr 19, 2008 10:38 AM:
From Kalama wrote on Apr 19, 2008 10:40 AM:
A Mom wrote on Apr 19, 2008 10:48 AM:
mom of 9 year old girl wrote on Apr 19, 2008 11:01 AM:
teacher wrote on Apr 19, 2008 11:06 AM:
Lisa Thompson wrote on Apr 19, 2008 11:55 AM:
To those who want to know where to contribute there is an account set
up at Bank of America in the name of “ The Wicken Family Assistance Fund”
Or if you need someone to pick up your donation please email me or call Chicago Title and we will make arrangements to meet with you. May Hanna and her family
Be blessed with hope & faith.
"
My sister had it wrote on Apr 19, 2008 11:57 AM:
Kids like this first and foremost wrote on Apr 19, 2008 12:35 PM:
Keep your spirits up Hannah! wrote on Apr 19, 2008 2:20 PM:
God will watch over you, Hannah, of that I am sure. You and your family will be in my prayers until I know you are through this bump in the road. Next week, we are celebrating my niece's 16th birthday! While she is not in "official" remission - that won't be until she is 17 - she has been cancer free since her first round of chemo!
You will win this battle, Hannah... have faith, and keep smiling your pretty smile! "
Robin Brigge "Hannah's Big Cousin" wrote on Apr 19, 2008 4:53 PM:
lori wrote on Apr 19, 2008 5:58 PM:
another mom..... wrote on Apr 19, 2008 7:15 PM:
just curious wrote on Apr 19, 2008 9:18 PM:
A Friend from dance wrote on Apr 20, 2008 9:14 AM:
co-workerof Danni wrote on Apr 20, 2008 9:48 AM:
Get moving wrote on Apr 20, 2008 1:38 PM:
Greatful Mom wrote on Apr 20, 2008 3:51 PM:
Past Month's Most Commented Stories