Jacob Hill Is A True Hero & Needs Your Support!

The Resuts Are In:

An update from Jacob's Mom on his blog at:  http://www.jacobhillsjourney.blogspot.com/

I finally met with the doctors and got the word. Jacob's disease is still lingering in his spine. The last two cycles of chemo that he received after they discovered the cancer had become refractory did not work to reduce the tumor. My next meeting was with the doctor leading the Hu3F8 antibody clinical trial. She explained that because Jacob is not NED(no evidence of disease) that he did not qualify for the antibody treatment we were hoping to get him on. Instead, Jacob will be starting the Phase 1 study for another version of these antibodies. Actually he will be the first to receive the highest dose of this treatment that has yet to be administered. The good news is that he'll be getting the maximum dose that's been given the bad news is because this is a phase 1 study they aren't sure how well this works on humans, if at all. The hope is that the antibodies will keep the cancer stable. Not a lot to go on but there is at least still something to be hopeful about. Thanks for the continued thoughts and prayers.

Jacob and his family have been through a lot with more to come and have piled up the expenses as you could imagine. If you can help his family with some of their expenses please do and it would be greatly appreciated by everyone. Your gift would help give Jacob the treatments he needs as well as the support his family needs.

Thank you so much for taking a minute to read Jacob Hill's Journey and for your thoughts and prayers!

 

To contribute to Jacob Hill's Journey? Just click on the "donate" button above. This will take you to Jacob's Fund where you can choose the amount you wish to contribute.

Sacramento Topic, Maloof Family, New Arena & Kings...

Sacramento & Funding Arena With King's Maloof Family!

I don't usually post about sports or the funding of a sports arena but today I came across an article about the funding of the new sports arena for Sacramento, CA. I feel this is important because it involves the entire state, a state that has continued to cut the budgets of unemployment benefits, public schools, food stamp programs, Social Security, Medi-Cal benefits and several other programs that are depended on by many families that are unemployed due to job cuts, for the necessities needed to survive while on unemployment benefits that are running out all at the same time that taxes are being increased.

It is estimated that nearly $400,000,000 is what is will cost to build a new sports arena for the Sacramento Kings and other venues. The Kings are owned by the Maloof Family, George Maloof Sr. being a founder of the city of Las Vegas and owner of the Palms Hotel bringing in a $50,000,000 profit each year. The family owns other sports teams as well as being the biggest share holders of Wells Fargo Bank.

The Maloofs have been asking the city to build a new arena for many years now and the city has requested that the Maloofs pay a portion of the costs which is about $90,000,000. This is the reason the arena has not been built because the Maloof Family believes the city should pay all of the costs to build the arena.

This is where my opinion comes in.

There is nothing wrong with the arena the Kings are using now, ARCO Arena, which in fact the Maloofs own part of it at this time. It has hosted the Kings for years and many other venues from Disney on Ice to Monster Truck Rallies. I am not understanding the need for a new arena in a city that can not afford to help the general public let alone build an multi-million dollar sports arena.

The arean should be paid by private funds if it must be built and at this time the big push is coming from the Kings owners the Maloofs. It's simple, if they want a pretty new place to sit and watch their basketball team play than they should pay for the building.

I don't know what will come out of today's "funding talks" which include the mayor of Sacramento, a representative for the NBA and of course the Maloofs themselves plus many other people who probably have better things to do today rather than fly to Florida of all places for a two hour talk about funding a sports arena. I'm just curious who paid for the trip and why Florida considering Sacramento and Vegas are both on the West Coast?

For information on the Maloof Family see the following link: http://www.whoownsvegas.com/m.html

For more information on the arena and Sacramento see this link: http://blogs.sacbee.com/city-beat/2012/02/source-maloof-contribution-focus-of-sacramento-arena-talks.html and see the comments on the article at this link, they are interesting to say the least.

Jacob Hill's Journey!

Meet Jacob a very brave & strong little boy on a journey!

Jacob's journey is one no child or parent should ever have to endure. I can not begin to try to explain how he and his family are coping with his diagnosis of Neuroblastoma and the continuous procedures and treatments that follow. Here in his words and the words of his Mother is Jacob Hill's Journey.

My name is Jacob Hill. I'm 3 years old. I live with my mom and three sisters in Rockwall, Texas. I am a very energetic and curious little boy. I love dinosaurs, playing with my sisters, riding my scooter outside and everything Spiderman. I have a fearless, sweet and loving nature. I am surrounded by tremendous amounts of love and support from all of my family and friends as I continue my fight against Stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma.

On September 17, 2010 I woke up telling my mom that "I hurt". In feeling around on me she found a lump in my tummy. She took me in to see my pediatrician that afternoon who sent us straight to Children's Hospital Dallas. We spent 13 hours in the emergency room where tests and scans identified several tumors in my chest, belly and spine that the doctors believed was Neuroblastoma ( a rare and aggressive type of childhood cancer). I was admitted immediately into the hospital and it was confirmed that I do in fact have this disease. Surgery was performed to remove the abdominal tumor on my right side and several surrounding infected lymph nodes as well as a biopsy to test for the disease in my bones and a port was placed in my chest so the chemo could be delivered more efficiently. I spent the next week recovering in the hospital. The doctors decided to stage my cancer as a IV High Risk. My treatment would involve the most aggessive chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell harvest, more surgery and immunotherapy over a two year period. My mom was then faced with a very difficult decision, to stay at Children's for treatment or to take me to a hospital where they specialize in Neuroblastoma. My mom contacted Memorial Sloan-Kettering in NYC who reviewed my records and have the opinion they can help me. So my mom has decided to take me to New York. Since we've arrived, I have had 3 more surgeries (my right adrenal was removed completely and part of the left causing me to have to be on medicine the rest of my life) stem cell harvest, received 6 cylces of high dose chemo, 14 doses of radiation, countless blood transfusions and antibiotics. I had scans in November and we received some discouraging news. My Neuroblastoma has become Refractory. Meaning that it is not responding to the chemo like it should. The tumor in the bones of my spine and in the marrow of my spine did not go away and my infact be growing. I have received 2 more cylces of a different chemotherapy to try to get rid of it and then hopefully after my next set of scans in February, I will be able to start the HU3f8 antibody.

Please visit Jacob on Facebook and add him as a friend to show your support and to raise awareness for a very brave 3 year old: http://www.facebook.com/JacobHillsJourney?sk=wall

Jacob was a happy, healthy (according to his regular checkups), energetic 2 year old. Running around all day chasing after his 3 older sisters and getting into trouble like little boys should. I was a work from home mom with 4 great kids and all was right with the world. 

On September 17, 2010, our nightmare began. Jacob was diagnosed with Stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma. A rare, aggressive and deadly childhood cancer. 

Jake woke up that morning complaining that he hurt. I, thinking it was just pain from a little spill he had taken off his scooter the day before, redoctored a scrape on his knee and told him it would be better in a day or so. He seemed ok after that. But later that afternoon, just out of the blue, something told me to take another look at him. I laid him down on his back and starting at the top of his head began working my way down his body feeling for anything abnormal.

Everything seemed to be alright until I got to his belly. I pressed down and initially didn't feel anything. But once again, something told me to press a little harder. So I did, and that's when I felt it. A hard spot deep in his abdomen towards the back of his body. Having no medical background I had no idea what it was but I did know that it should not be there. I called the doctor and insisted he be seen that day.

At the office the doctor began to exam Jacob, he did not even have to say a word. I will never forget the look on his face when he said that he too thought he felt something there and that we needed to go immediately to Childrens and have some test done. 10 hours later my worst fear was confirmed. Jacob had several masses in his abdomen, on both adrenal glands, up in his chest and around his spine. Jacob had cancer known as Neuroblastoma.

To read more of Jacob's Journey as told by his family please visit them at their blog:

"Jacob Hill's Journey" http://www.jacobhillsjourney.blogspot.com/

You can show your support by sharing their blog with all your friends and family to help bring awareness to their story. If you would like to contribute to Jacob Hill's Journey? Just click on the "donate" button on the home page and it will take you to Jacob's Fund where you can choose the amount you wish to contribute.

My thoughts and prayers are with Jacob and his family as they continue on this "Journey", I will continue to follow them and update his progress for everyone supporting his goal of finding a cure for Neuroblastoma.

Vietnam vet awarded Silver Star after 45 years!

The memories are still vivid, former Staff Sgt. Paul Taylor said.

That was why after receiving the third-highest decoration in all U.S. military branches, he had his daughter, Laura, say his thanks.

Taylor, 68, received the Silver Star award Saturday at Fort Wainwright, 45 years after an act of heroism that saved a fellow soldier’s life and sent Taylor to a nine-month stay in the hospital. After earning the award Jan. 17, 1967, the paperwork got lost in the shuffle, and Taylor never received recognition. Taylor joined the U.S. Army in 1964, during a period of heightening U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

He voluntarily joined because, he said, he didn’t want a run-of-the-mill job, like cooking or driving.

“If I was going to go into the Army, I wanted to do something exciting,” he said.

What Taylor really wanted to do was become part of a special forces unit. He remembers the window of opportunity to join a special forces unit was closing, when he decided to call one legendary Mrs. Billye Alexander — an employee of the Pentagon’s personnel office, who wrote the transfer orders for special forces soldiers.

He asked if he could be sent to Vietnam with a unit.

On Jan. 17, 1966, Taylor’s platoon was on patrol when it came under heavy gun fire. Taylor and another soldier led a charge toward the enemy’s machine gun, but were wounded. They were trapped in a rice paddy. The platoon’s senior medic, Taylor dragged his fellow soldier to safety and continued the attack on the enemy. He ensured the safety of the soldier and his platoon before being transported to a hospital with three gun shot wounds for a nine-month stay. He medically retired that year.

read more here