Honoring True Heroes

by Stephanie Struyck Elgin

Exceptional courage, nobility and strength.  All words we associate with heroism.  You have your everyday heroes like police officers who fight crime, firefighters who battle the fires and doctors who help save lives.  And then you have the heroes who fight for their lives and battle their disease with courage and hope, smile and grace.Their determination is endless and their inspiration is motivation to help us continue to find a cure. Meet the honored heroes of this year’s Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s SCV Light the Night Walk.
SCV Light the Night will take place on October 23 at Bridgeport Park in Valencia. For more information, to register or donate, visit www.lightthenight.org/santaclarita, or call Breeana Garrett at 310-846-4731.

On March 11, 2008, Nathaniel, at the age of two, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).  After 18 months of treatment, he relapsed and received a bone marrow transplant in December of 2009.  He is slowly recovering despite the fact he has suffered several complications including colon and stomach infections.  And even though he has had to endure so much at such a young age, Nathaniel always has a glowing smile on his face.  His family describes him as lovable, friendly and outgoing.  Nathaniel has hopes of joining the Army when he grows up, with his dad as his “awesome” role model.

Full of energy and spirit, six-year-old Tyler has a zest for life and it is displayed in his beautiful smile.  In March of 2007, his spirit was tested when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).  A tumor was wrapped around his heart, pressing on his airway.  Surgery was needed, and Tyler spent weeks in the hospital hooked up to breathing tubes. He enjoyed 18 months of remission but has relapsed twice in his brain and bone marrow.  Last fall, Tyler had a stem cell transplant and after several months in the hospital, a smiling Tyler is happy to be home.

Owner of a large modeling agency, wife and mother to three boys, the busy lifestyle of Natasha Duswalt suddenly changed in October of 2006, when she discovered she had Hodgkin’s disease.  Despite the overwhelming emotions when receiving the news, she was positive about one thing, she wanted to live.  “Cancer picked the wrong girl!” stated Natasha.  With strength and determination, she underwent chemotherapy and began her struggle to beat cancer.  “It’s possible that cancer came into my life because I am a person of action,” states Natasha.  “Whatever the case may be, I am here to say that cancer is not a sentence, it is just a word.”

He was a month shy of two years when Evan’s life was changed forever.  On August 16, 2007, Evan Gabor was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).  He has since gone through seven different phases of chemotherapy, transfusions and several spinal taps, and today, he is winning his battle against cancer.  His next hurdle will be a cranial radiation, which his family hopes and prays Evan will get through with minimal side affects.  Team Evan will be walking to support him, and remind us all that we are walking not only in honor of Evan but all people who are battling blood cancers.