Justine completed her 4th round of chemo last week but is battling an infection and other complications as she recovers. This means she is in critical need of platelets.
The hospital’s supply of platelets is generally low, and platelets only have a shelf life of five days, so donations are always appreciated. If you’re in LA and can donate platelets, please call Raul at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles at 323.361.2441 to make an appointment.
A Night to Kick Cancer, a benefit for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, will be held at Hollywood Billiards Sports Bar and Grill in Los Angeles on Saturday at 8pm. Justine’s aunts, Jane and Jackie, are hosting the event, which features door prizes and a silent auction, as well as billiards, music and dancing.
Click for full-size flyer.
Admission is a $10 minimum donation at the door, and every donation is another chance to win a door prize. Door prize donors (subject to change) include Ralph’s, Trader Joe’s, The Yard House, Regal Cinemas, Pasadena Ice Skating Center, The Improv, and Joe’s Crab Shack. Silent auction donors include Lucky Strike, AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Equinox Gym and Spa, Mijares Mexican Restaurant, Bodega Wine Bar, and Hugo’s Wine Bar.
If you’re free and in the L.A. area this weekend, please drop by Hollywood Billiards (map) and support the cause!
You can get more details about this benefit, including a complete list of door prize and auction donors, on Jane’s Web site.
LIVESTRONG Challenge Update
I participated in the LIVESTRONG Challenge 5K Run/Walk last weekend in San Jose, CA, in honor of my dad and Justine.
The event, which benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation, raised more $1.3 million in San Jose and just over $1 million in Seattle earlier this year. I personally chipped in $1,470, which exceeded my goal of $1,000. Thanks to everyone who donated!
It was a beautiful and inspiring event, especially seeing all the cancer survivors that participated. I hope that all of you can be part of the LIVESTRONG Challenge next year either as a participant or a donor. I plan on participating in next year’s event, but I’m still collecting donations for LIVESTRONG. If you want to donate, visit my LIVESTRONG Challenge page. For more information on the LIVESTRONG Challenge or the Lance Armstrong Foundation, go to www.livestrong.org.
After being home for a few days, Justine is back at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for her third round of chemotherapy. This time around, the treatment seems to be a little more intense, and she’s had some challenging moments. Justine is getting through the therapy, and she’s been a warrior through it all.
Let’s keep the prayers coming and have faith that Justine will truly KICK this CANCERS BUTT.
When you join the Be The Match Registry, you become part of every patient’s search for a bone marrow donor. You could be the one to save a life. And now, during the Be The Match Marrowthon, you can join online for free June 8-22, while funding remains. Our Marrowthon goal is to add 46,000 new members to the registry. Be one of them!
You can be put on the Bone Marrow Registry for FREE if you register online before June 22nd! For more information or to register, go to http://www.bethematch.org and use the code GetHope4.
Girl Scout Troop Holding Fundraiser for Justine at Saugus Burger King
By: Arnold In: Updates
21 May 2009Girl Scout Troop 523, Justine’s former troop, is holding a fundraiser for her on Thursday, May 28 to help purchase an air purifying system that will help Justine’s recovery. The Burger King in Saugus on the corner of Newhall Ranch and Bouquet Canyon Roads will donate 20% of all sales between 4-8pm to the cause.
To participate, just download and print this flyer, bring it with you to Burger King, and present it when you order.
Click on the flyer to download.
Justine Update
Justine was readmitted to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles today to start her second round of chemotherapy. Her absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is currently at 700, which is in the “safe” zone—an ANC of 1500 or more is considered normal. Justine’s ANC was zero a couple weeks ago. Her platelets are also a little below normal but starting to elevate.
Donate Platelets
Now that Justine is beginning her second round of chemo, platelet donations are once again critical. See the Donating Platelets page for more information. To make an appointment, contact Raul Gonzalez at 323-361-2441.
Justine was discharged from the hospital yesterday but will return next Tuesday for a second round of chemotherapy. Despite dealing with neutropenia—an abnormally low level of neutrophils—which makes her vulnerable to infection, Justine’s doctor said that it was “better to be at home than the hospital because there are more sick children at the hospital.”
Neutropenia
The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is the real number of white blood cells that are neutrophils, the most common type (between 50-70%) of all white blood cells. They are phagocytic, meaning that they can ingest other cells, and are the first immune cells that arrive at the site of infection. When the need to fight infection arises, they move to the site of infection by a process known as chemotaxis, usually triggered by cytokines released from macrophages that sense invading organisms. At the site of infection, they engulf and kill bacteria. Eventually, the neutrophils die, and these dead cells are then phagocytosed by macrophages, which break them down further. Pus, therefore, is the viscous material composed of these dead neutrophils.
A deficiency or absence of neutrophils is called neutropenia, which is a common occurrence in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and other forms of treatment. A normal ANC is anything above 1,500 cells per cubic mm, and a “safe” ANC is in the range of 500-1,500, although this is a moderate form of neutropenia. An ANC below 500 is considered severe neutropenia.
Justine’s ANC levels were at zero (0) a few days ago, but they are rising steadily. This means that while Justine gets to spend some time at home, she won’t be entertaining visitors until her ANC levels are normal.
Platelet Donation
Platelet donation is still the best way all of us can make a direct impact on Justine’s recovery and she’ll need even more when chemotherapy starts up again next week. Because the process takes approximately two hours, appointments are required for platelet donation. Please visit the Donating Platelets page for more information, or call CHLA’s Raul Gonzalez directly at 323-361-2441 to make an appointment.
Graduation
Justine is scheduled to graduate from the 8th grade in a few weeks, and although she hasn’t been attending school, she is being tutored by her mom, Mita, who is a high school teacher. Justine is an honor student, and she’s getting most of her homework done on her own…with a little help from mom. She won’t be able to graduate with her classmates, but the school district is making arrangements to present Justine with her diploma at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, and the hospital is generously allowing us the use of one of their conference rooms for the ceremony.
Thank You
The love and support of family and friends has been overwhelming, and Justine’s strength and determination throughout this ordeal has been inspiring. Please keep Justine in your thoughts and prayers as she continues her fight!
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- Tags: ANC, chemo, justine kicks cancer, leukemia, neutropenia
The blood drive held on Wednesday in support of Justine Kicks Cancer was a huge success, drawing 91 donors to SC Physicians Immediate Care in Valencia. The original plan was to have a maximum of 60 donors (5 every 30 minutes), but the staff from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles that conducted the blood drive was able to accommodate the overflow crowd and said it was best turnout they’ve ever had for a community blood drive.
The CHLA Blood Drive Bus was full all day.
Donors included friends and family from AYSO 46, William S. Hart Pony Baseball, Canyon Country Little League, SCV Fil-Am Association, William S. Hart and Saugus School Districts.
We also met people that didn’t know Justine but helped the cause because they saw a flyer posted in a store, read it in The Signal or heard her story via word of mouth or on the web site. Some of things that people said to me included:
“We are donating because we also have family members that have the same illness or have cancer.”
“I saw the flyer posted in a store and decided to help out because she is only a child”
“I don’t know Justine but I know the family. I am here to help in some way.”
Goody bags with lots of cool stuff from local businesses were handed out to all the donors. Food was donated for both donors and volunteers and Ron at Mustard Seed Graphics made this cool banner.
There are a lot of people we want to acknowledge and thank for making this event a success.
- The medical staff of CHLA did a phenomenal job with the blood drive, smoothly managing the overflow of donors in 6 hours.
- SC Physicians Urgent Care for letting us use their facilities
- The Hodge family, Alex Ruiz, and Art and Carol Garcia for volunteering their time, creating goody bags for donors, designing banners and flyers, providing snacks and taking pictures.
- Diane at Lady Di’s Cookies (cookies for goody bags)
- Mitch at Newhall Coffee Roasting Company (coffee for goody bags)
- Girl Scouts of SCV (cookies and lollipops for goody bags)
- Dr. Lieberman Dental Office (toothcare kits for goody bags)
- Kinetix Advanced Physical Therapy (pens and stress balls for goody bags)
- Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt (coupons for goody bags)
- Ron at Mustard Seed Graphics (Justine Kicks Cancer banner)
- Le Paris Bakery and Café (pastries and coffee for donors and volunteers)
- Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (chocolate treats for volunteers)
- Physician Partners (provided lunch from Corner Bakery for volunteers)
Thanks again to everyone, especially the donors for supporting Justine. We are fortunate to live here in the Santa Clarita Valley. We didn’t realize how many people come together for one cause. It’s a great community.
Rainel Caranto (right) and Josie Caranto, Justine’s dad and step-mom.
There will probably be more blood drives in the future, but right now we want to focus on platelet donation. There is currently a shortage of blood platelets at CHLA, and donating platelets for Justine is probably the best way you can have a direct impact on her recovery. For donation information, click on the Donating Platelets link at the the top of the page.
Check out more pictures from the event…
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- Tags: blood drive, platelets
I know Rainel will be posting more details about this shortly, but I spoke to him about the blood drive on Wednesday night and wanted to give everyone a quick update.
More than 90 people showed up to give blood in honor of Justine, which was impressive since there were only supposed to be 60 available time slots and only 45 were filled according to our online reservation system as of Wednesday morning. I got a little worried Tuesday night when we started getting last minute cancellations, but I was also impressed that the online booking system was working out well. The CHLA staff was able to handle the overflow and said it was the most successful community blood drive they’ve ever done.
Rainel said that in addition to friends and family, there were lots of people who had no connection to Justine that came in to donate because they saw a flyer, read it in The Signal or heard about it via word of mouth or this web site. Donations of food were even delivered to the location for blood drive participants.
I think it’s both beautiful and humbling that the community responsed in such a manner. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the blood drive effort. I’m pretty sure future blood drives will occur in the future, but the focus now is on platelet donation. Platelets are key to Justine’s recovery, and a shortage at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles means there’s an ongoing need. For more information on how to donate platelets for Justine, click the Donating Platelets link at the top of the page.
Due to a shortage of platelets at Childrens Hospital, we encourage you to donate platelets as frequently as possible for Justine. Justine suffered another nose bleed the other day which continued for about 24 hours. The doctors and nurses used gel packing as an alternative to slow down the bleeding until they were able to get donated platelets. As you can see, platelets are a vital part for Justine’s recovery.
Donating Platelets
Patients suffering from leukemia, aplastic anemia or a bone marrow disease require special blood products, such as platelets or white blood cells.
In an apheresis procedure, your blood is separated to extract only the needed component. Because of the special process involved, the blood donation procedure takes approximately two hours.
What are Platelets?
Platelets are blood cells that help control bleeding. When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets collect at the site of the injury and temporarily repair the tear. Platelets then activate substances in plasma which form a clot and allow the wound to heal.
Who Needs Platelets?
Patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment and those who are having a Bone Marrow Transplant, have especially low platelet counts and can bleed very easily. Platelet donations are in great demand by children undergoing these processes.
Because platelets can be stored for only five days, the need for platelet donations is vast and continuous.
What is Apheresis?
Apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis) is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets. During the apheresis procedure, all but the needed blood component are returned to the donor.
Why is Blood Separated?
Different patients need different types of blood components, depending on their illness or injury. After you donate whole blood, the unit is separated into platelets, red cells and plasma in our laboratory. Only two tablespoons of platelets are collected from a whole blood donation. Six whole blood donations must be separated and pooled to provide a single platelet transfusion. However, one apheresis donation provides enough platelets for one complete transfusion — that’s six times the amount collected from a whole blood donation.
How Do Individuals Donate Platelets?
Because platelet donation involves separating cells from the blood, the collection procedure takes approximately two hours. The blood will flow from one arm to the collection instrument. There, the platelets will be removed from the blood and returned to the donor via the other arm (or the same arm). The process takes place in a sterile environment.
Who Needs Platelets?
Many lifesaving medical treatments require platelet transfusions. Cancer patients, those receiving organ or bone marrow transplants, victims of traumatic injuries, and patients undergoing open heart surgery require platelet transfusions to survive.
Who Can be an Apheresis Donor?
If you meet the requirements for donating blood, you probably can give platelets. Apheresis donors must:
- be at least 18 years old
- be in good health
- weigh at least 110 pounds
- not have taken aspirin, products containing aspirin, or other anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, 48 hours prior to donation. These drugs greatly weaken the effectiveness of platelets and therefore of platelet transfusions.
Does Blood Type Matter?
Since there are no red blood cells in a platelet product, we are not limited to using the same donor blood types as with red cells.
Are Apheresis Donations Safe?
Yes. Each donation is closely supervised throughout the procedure by trained staff. A small percentage of your platelets are collected, so there is no risk of bleeding problems. Your body will replace the donated platelets within 72 hours. The donation equipment (needle, tubing, collection bags) are sterile and discarded after every donation, making it virtually impossible to contract a disease from the process.
How Does the Procedure Work?
During an apheresis donation, blood is drawn from your arm into an automated cell separator. Inside a sterile kit within the machine, your blood is spun and platelets are removed. Your remaining blood components are then returned through your arm.
How Long Does it Take?
Depending on your weight and height, the apheresis donation process will take approximately 70 minutes to two hours.
Make an Appointment Today!
Due to the time constraints for platelet donations, we require platelet donors to schedule their appointments. Please contact Raul Gonzalez at 323-361-2441 to make an appointment.
(Information on this page compiled from Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and Puget Sound Blood Center.)
Justine appreciates all the love and concern that all you have shown. You prayers, thoughts, gifts, phone calls, and other ways of showing support keeps her smiling. However, we will be putting a hold on seeing any visitors at this time. She will be graduating from junior high school in a few months and would like to focus on her studies.
The Visiting Justine page and appointment calendar have been disabled until further notice and will return when Justine is ready for visitors.
The Caranto and Meza families appreciate all your support and concern for Justine. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact any of us (Rainel, Josie, Mita, or Ed).
Thank you for you consideration.
About this site...
Justine Kicks Cancer honors a teenage soccer star, honor student, and warrior against all things leukemia. The site was established to keep family and friends updated about Justine's fight against the disease, as well as provide information about how you can support events and organizations devoted to raising money for cancer research.
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