Community hears call for help

FAMILY TIES--Ethan Childs, 9, is surrounded by his family before he was diagnosed with leukemia in September. From top left: his mother Ulyssa, brother Jordan, father Paul, and brother Tobin Childs. Oak Park residents rallying around a family whose 9-year-old boy was diagnosed with leukemia in September are asking others to help out by eating at the Tikka Grill in Westlake Village Jan. 17 through 31. Thirty percent of diners' bills will go to Ethan Childs and his family during the three years of treatment he needs.

"Everyone at the school is devastated," said Red Oak Elementary Parent Faculty Association President Susie Harris. "People kept asking, 'What can we do?'"

Participants in the restaurant fundraiser are asked to present an Ethan Childs flier, available at Tikka Grill. Fliers can also be obtained on the Internet at www.talbertfamilyfoundation.org.

The Talbert Family Foundation, based in Hidden Hills, is handling administration of the proceeds. The organization provides financial support to families with members suffering from catastrophic illness, providing $5,000 initially to each fund, then matching the first $5,000 raised.

FIGHTING BACK--Ethan Childs is undergoing an aggressive three-year treatment for leukemia. The community will sponsor a fundraiser at Tikka Grill during the next two weeks to help the family with their medical costs. The foundation puts on the Calabasas Classic run each fall to raise money. Ethan will be the primary beneficiary of this year's race.

"What makes our foundation special is that we are helping local families right in our own neighborhood," said Julie Talbert, the foundation's executive director.

Ethan's family--parents Ulyssa and Paul, and brothers Jordan, an Oak Park High School freshman, and Tobin, a seventh-grader at Medea Creek Middle School--expressed gratitude for the support they have received.

"We are amazed by how the community has come together, cooking us meals and being there for us," Ulyssa Childs said. "Everyone's been really wonderful."

A regular annual checkup in September by Ethan's pediatrician uncovered the life-threatening illness.

After an examination, the doctor told Ulyssa that her son, a happy third-grader who plays baseball, checked out fine and asked if she had any concerns. Childs mentioned that Ethan had many bruises, but she thought nothing of it because little boys get bumps and bruises all the time. The doctor said it was probably nothing but suggested a blood test.

The next evening as Ulyssa was leaving to take Ethan to baseball practice the doctor called with the blood test results. He said he had bad news, that something was very wrong.

"'You need to take him to the emergency room immediately,' the doctor told me," Ulyssa said. "'Every hour makes a difference.'"

Ethan has acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which requires three years of treatment. He is undergoing weekly chemotherapy and daily radiation at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

The case is considered high-risk because Ethan's type of cancer cells are especially prone to relapse. His bone marrow continued to produce leukemia cells even after the first dose of chemotherapy, and he had an extremely high white blood count at the onset of the disease. As a result, the treatment Ethan is receiving is very aggressive, according to his mother.

"The first couple of months were the hardest," Ulyssa said. "We were in a state of shock."

In order to undergo treatment and avoid germs that can weaken him, Ethan is no longer in school. He's lost his hair and some weight from the chemotherapy treatments, which sometimes make him ill. The school district is providing a tutor who meets with him one hour for every school day he misses. Ulyssa expects him to be out of school until at least next fall.

"It's pretty arduous with the chemo but it's going as well as we could expect. It's surprising how well Ethan is actually doing," Ulyssa said.

Tikka Grill is at 5790 Lindero Canyon Road in Westlake Village. For more information on the fundraiser, call Red Oak Elementary at (818) 707-7972. Donations may be sent to the Talbert Family Foundation, The Ethan Childs' Fund, 25003 Jim Bridger Road, Hidden Hills, CA 91302.