Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh is not quite sure where this quote came from, but when he saw it early last week, it certainly stuck with him.
Narsh’s youngest son, Anthony, recently began chemotherapy treatments for Eosinophilic granuloma (EG), a rare musculoskeletal cancer.
EG comes from a larger classification, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, which effects about one in 200,000 people each year (mostly children).
‘It’s a very rare condition,? Narsh said. ‘It’s basically the body attacking itself.?
Narsh and his wife, Amanda, noticed Anthony’s droopy eye back on March 11, and when it was swollen shut the next morning, they knew something was wrong.
Two surgeries and many perplexed doctors later, they realized they were dealing with EG. The droopy eye was the disease eating away at Anthony’s skull.
Now Anthony, 8, is back to normal, sort of.
EG tends to reoccur, so Anthony will ‘have to have bone scans throughout his life,? according to his dad. He also will be undergoing Chemo treatments for the next six months.
That’s where Narsh’s quote comes in.
Last Tuesday, Anthony was presented with a gift basket so big, it was actually more of a box. Area businesses joined forces to put a smile on the face of a youngster that needed it, and thus brought joy to a family that was missing it for the better part of a month-and-a-half.
‘That’s why I’m raising my family here,? Narsh said looking to the box of gifts.
But that wasn’t all. Lloyd and Kathy Coe, from Ed’s Gift & Costume, had supplied dinner for the whole family. Theirs was the first of six months worth of Tuesday dinners that area businesses, including most area restaurants, will supply for the Narshes.
‘This is the first time I’ve ever been on this side of the issue,? Narsh said. ‘For the first time in my life, I’m having a hard time putting it into words.?
‘It’s just incredible,? he added. ‘I cannot thank everybody enough.?
Kathy Coe, who will celebrate her third anniversary as a cancer survivor this June, started the gift box and dinner drive. It was Sandy Harmel and Tom Mundy that did a similar thing for her years ago.
‘Over the course of six months, you can really get worn down,? Kathy said, encouraging everyone to send Anthony notes of support along the way.