SVC has chosen to name our teams after children who have or have had cancer.
The children we choose have been involved with Jacob’s Heart and have been recommended by the Jacob’s
Heart staff to represent our team. We use the children’s stories to educate the public on cancer
awareness and overall community involvement in combating cancer.
2006
Team Emily
It’s been six years since her last treatment, but Emily and her family’s battles have just begun.
Emily is a fourteen-year old cancer survivor diagnosed at the age of 4 ½ and treated with years of
chemotherapy. While her treatment is over, Emily and her family now have to deal with the cognitive,
emotional, psychological, and neurological side effects Emily incurred from her treatment. This year we are
honoring Emily and her family’s struggle by naming our Jacob’s Heart/University of California
Santa Cruz Student Volunteer Center/Bethany University’s Relay for Life team, “Team Emily.”
Emily and her family’s struggle with the after effects of treatment is a common one among families
touched with pediatric cancer. To learn more about Emily, pediatric cancer, the side effects associated with
pediatric cancer treatment, and/or how to support or join our relay team, email us
at
volunteer@ucsc.edu.
If you'd like to join our team next year and/or make a donation, please follow the link above. As always we
are selling luminaria bags for ten dollars each that can be made in honor of or in memory of someone who had
or has had cancer. The bags will be lit with a candle when the sun sets on Saturday July 15th to keep the
track lit for the walkers all night long. The bags and additional information are available at the SVC office.
Visit the Team Emily Website
2005
Team Yesenia
There is no more chemotherapy that can help 5 year old Yesenia of Salinas. Her 4 year fight with acute myelogenous
leukemia (AML) will soon cost Yesenia her life. Eight months ago Yesenia’s body lost the ability to create healthy
blood cells. Yesenia is one of many who have no hope for survival without a bone marrow transplant from a volunteer donor.
Potential bone marrow
donors like you can get tested and entered into the National Bone Marrow Registry (NBMR). After you are tested
your bone marrow type will be crossed with thousands of patients who are waiting for a ray of hope in
their fight for survival. You can be that hope…all it takes is a simple blood test.
During the summer of 2005 SVC hosted two marrow registry drives where about 80 students, staff, and faculty were tested,
and many more learned the truth about marrow donation, that it’s nearly PAINLESS. In fact, most of the time the marrow can
be taken from the blood and not a bone. This new technology has allowed countless more donors to participate and save lives.
The registry is still in need of donors, especially minorites, especially those of Hawaiian and Hispanic decent. To learn more
contact us.
Update
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November 9 th, 2006
Dear Relay for Life Teams, Student Volunteer Center Volunteers, and friends:
I'm sorry to inform you that Yesenia has passed away early this week. Elizabeth of Jacob's Heart
Children's Cancer Association has informed me of how we have all been instrumental in raising the family's
hope and spirit through these difficult times. Though we have lost Yesenia to her battle with cancer,
during her five years with us she has made quite an impact in the Central Coast. After the 2005 UCSC/Bethany
University/Jacob's Heart Relay for Life "Team Yesenia" we launched a publicity campaign to raise
awareness about the National Marrow Registry and their need for people from minority ethnic groups to get
tested. Yesenia's story and your hope and generous efforts have inspired many to join the National Marrow
Registry, and in turn we have already saved another girl's life. As some of you already know, someone who
registered for the National Marrow Registry during one of our drives was matched this October to a 14 year
old girl with leukemia. Though there is a 1 in 30,000 chance of matching, your efforts of reaching out to a
diverse community in search of potential donors using Yesenia's story has saved a life and diversified the
National Marrow Registry.
Though we failed to find a match for Yesenia, there is still hope for many more patients with cancer and
other diseases requiring a marrow transplant. The process is even easier now: those who would like to register
need only to supply a cheek swab.
Yesenia's story will stick with many of us for a life time, and in her honor I encourage you to spread the
word about the National Marrow Registry Program and other cancer organizations such as Jacob's Heart Children's
Cancer Association, and the American Cancer Society. To learn more about how to get involved, or how to
register in the National Marrow Registry, feel free to contact me. We were truly blessed by the time we had
with Yesenia and I'm sure that her story will continue to touch many on the central coast.
Thank you all for your help, hope, guidance and efforts. If you would like to forward this email to those
who would like to know, please do so. You may also view Yesenia's story at http://www2.ucsc.edu/svc/svc_relay.php.
Warmly,
Nicole Marie Teutschel
Director
UCSC Student Volunteer Center
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