Oak Park High grad needs blood, platelets to battle cancer





FIGHTING CHANCE—Josh Rosenberg, an Oak Park High School alumnus and now a second-year law student at Pepperdine, is surrounded by his family—from left, father Dave, mother Lisa, sister Sarah, Josh and brother Max. A blood drive for Josh will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon., June 13 at Oak Hills Elementary School.

FIGHTING CHANCE—Josh Rosenberg, an Oak Park High School alumnus and now a second-year law student at Pepperdine, is surrounded by his family—from left, father Dave, mother Lisa, sister Sarah, Josh and brother Max. A blood drive for Josh will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon., June 13 at Oak Hills Elementary School.

The Oak Park community is coming together to help a young man in need.

A blood drive on Mon., June 13 at Oak Hills Elementary School will provide Josh Rosenberg, 25, with a steady flow of blood and platelet donations to help him battle Burkitt’s lymphoma.

The disease is a type of non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer in the lymphatic system, and is characterized by abnormal cell reproduction which leads to the growth of tumors. If not treated, the cancer can spread to other organs and tissues in the body.

Josh Rosenberg’s mother, Lisa Rosenberg, a nurse at Oak Hills Elementary for 12 years, said in an email that her son’s lymphoma was discovered early.

“Josh’s symptoms were vague at best,” Rosenberg said. “He was diagnosed with strep throat, but while on antibiotics he developed an enlarged lymph node in his neck. We sent him to an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist) who did blood work thinking it may be mono.”

Rosenberg said that abnormal lab results prompted a referral to an oncologist who conducted a bone marrow biopsy on her son, which led to the diagnosis.

“The whole chain of events was less than two weeks,” Rosenberg said. “We were very, very lucky.”

Josh Rosenberg has started an aggressive chemotherapy plan at UCLA Medical Center but needs a steady flow of blood and platelets for his treatment, said family friend and blood drive organizer Jeri Albers.

A former Oak Park High School baseball and football player, Rosenberg graduated from UCLA in 2008 and has been living with his family in Oak Park while attending law school at Pepperdine University.

“While Josh is in the hospital fighting this disease, his family is fighting to stay positive,” Albers said. “The Rosenberg family has been active in our Oak Park community, OPHS Boosters, AYBA (Agoura Youth Basketball Association), WAGS (Westlake/ Agoura Girls Softball,) Agoura PONY Baseball and many other groups.”

Albers hopes the entire community will support the family by donating blood on June 13.

To schedule an appointment to donate blood between 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on June 13, call Oak Hills Elementary at (818) 707-4224.

With regards to platelet donations, visit http://gotblood.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=118 to view the eligibility requirements before making a reservation.

Platelets can be donated every eight days and whole blood every 56 days.


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