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Family stricken by cancer gets help from community
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Jerome, Talia, age 3, and Leda Pleasant relax before a busy weekend in their Joppa town house. A multi-home party fundraiser is planned to help the family pay bills that have accumulated while Jerome and Talia battle cancer.
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Three-year-old Talia Pleasant loves riding her bike, watching “Dora the Explorer” and spending time with her family. She loves opening presents. She can count to 17 in English and Spanish.
Talia also has two malignant tumors in her brain.
Diagnosed with choroid plexus carcinoma, or malignant brain tumors, in April 2005, Talia went through chemotherapy and radiation. Six months after Talia was proclaimed cancer-free, her father, Jerome Pleasant, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that affected his jaw. Part of the bone in his jaw and some of his teeth had to be removed. Then another tumor was found in Talia’s abdomen. After surgery to remove that, three more tumors were found in her brain.
Hospital bills began to pile up. Jerome was unable to work because of his illness, and the family had little disability money coming in.
With only $5 to her name and facing an eviction notice, Talia’s mother, Leda Pleasant, ran into another mother at Johns Hopkins whose child was also sick. The stranger told Leda about how her family and friends had raised money for medical bills. “She told me she had over $30,000 in the bank in case of emergencies,” Leda said. “I just looked at her like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ”
Leda relayed the story to her mother, who in turn began asking local businesses to donate to the Pleasant family cause. When Leda’s mother came to Clare Peterson, Peterson knew she had to do something bigger.
“I just said, ‘Let’s think of other things we can do,’ ” said Peterson, a mother of two young boys. Through Peterson’s leadership, the community has rallied around the family, participating in seven fundraisers to date, including a car wash, basket bingo and a guest bartending event. The eighth and final fundraiser takes place on Sunday.
“I can’t imagine going through what they are going through,” said Peterson, who was a friend of the family. “Someone had to come to the plate for them, and I am more than happy to do it. I’m glad I was able to be successful for them.”
Talia will soon start a round of whole brain and spine radiation to shrink the tumors remaining in her brain. Jerome still has numerous surgeries ahead of him to reconstruct his jaw.
“We appreciate everything that people have done for us, no matter how big or small, even if they said they were just praying for us,” Leda said. “I don’t know where we would be; we would have nothing. Now we are comfortable enough to pay our bills and get some gifts for our daughter. I’m very thankful for everything.”
You can help
To help the Pleasant family, a fundraiser is being held on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the American Legion, located at 20 South Marlon Ave. in Essex. Over 30 vendors will participate and a silent auction and raffle will be held.
» Call 410-299-4168 for more information.
ecampbell@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
5:50 PM MST on Sat., Aug. 11, 2007 re: "Dixon’s fundraising lead is a runaway"
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Examiner Reader said:
Yeah OCO, and supposedly one of Noris's many women on the side was Sheila Dixon.. They did recently rendezvous in a hotel. LOL Anyway, the city needs to use all potential resources and experts to get a handle on this crime problem. Norris was better than what we've had since. Besides, I'd trust him as much as I'd trust no-bid contractto family and friends Dixon and $40,000 missing money Mitchell. LOL
214 agree | 199 disagree
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Jill Carter said:
I hope Jill Carter is right about integrity mattering more than money but I fear otherwise.
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Examiner Reader said:
For those who didn't hear the radio debate, the candidate's statements are on the Sun website. You can click it on from the blog on mayor race 2007. See for yourself.
219 agree | 222 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Of course Dixon leads in fundraising. She's very easily bought, and that's why she has never done anything for the people of the city, only those who've paid her off.
235 agree | 218 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I have a lot of respect for Delegate Jill Carter. Unfortunately, she is incorrect. You need millions of dollars to become mayor. Every mayor elected this decade has had millions of dollars.
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Examiner Reader said:
Mike Huckabee came in fourth, beating McCain. That is telling as well. Thompson getting second was probably the truest "surge" vote, because Romney's volunteers were out in full force and bought lots of ballots.
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Examiner Reader said:
I don't even see how anyone could disagree with both comments posted below???
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Examiner Reader said:
My son Christopher died from Batten Disease 3 years ago at age 8. It is ALWAYS fatal, as there is no cure or treatment for it. Since it is a rare disease, large pharma's will not see a big return on their investment, so they do not fund any research for a cure. Much of the research funding comes from fundraisers by the families of affected children. Its alot to do when you are already stretched to the limits caring for a sick, and in many cases multiple sick children. I think if more people knew how devastating and fatal this disease was, there might be more buzz to create awareness. Visit BDSRA.org to learn more and to see the faces of our children.........they are special gifts indeed!
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Examiner Reader said:
Thank you for writing this article. I also have two children with juvenile Batten Disease. One thing you left out of yur article is that Batten Disease is always fatal. If the family wanted that omitted from the article I can totally understand that. However if they didn't want it excluded that is a very powerful statement. Also we want more of the general public to know about this disease that is killing children every year and that the Federal government is doing very little to help in the research to find a cure or treatment for this disease. I believe this is something that the publice should be aware of. Also that the members of the BDSRA are the main the main source of fund raising for research against this disease. An interview with the executive director of BDSRA could also add more wait to your article and also raise more awareness for the disease. Please continue to write about this disease and raise as much awareness as possible. Thank you for your help.
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