Round 3 Begins

After getting to spend some time at home with her toys and her pet kitty cat, Allison has returned to the hospital for round 3 of chemo. We anticipated this visit, so it did not come as a surprise when we got the call from her doctor.

Because she is in a partial remission, Allison requires more treatment to prepare her for a future bone marrow transplant. In order to have the best outcome possible, she will need to be in a full remission for the transplant to take place. A bone marrow match for Allison has not yet been found, so the extensive search continues. We recently found out that she has a unique antigen(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigen) which makes it slightly more difficult to find an exact match for her. We know the match is out there...somewhere!

While this treatment plan will last only 4 days(4 hours each day) it will be 8-10 times stronger than her previous treatments. At this point we are not sure of how she will react to this new dosage, but we hope and pray that she will suprise her nurses and doctor once again.

Allison is in fantastic spirits today! Let's hope this continues!

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers for Allison - I know they're working!

What a great success!

Wow! we had such a wonderful time at the benefit dinner last week. It was so nice to see friends and family, and meet so many new friends! Shaun and I were so touched by the love, support, and generosity of all who attended. Thank you for being there to support us. There were even a few customers who popped in just for dinner and were met with a very large crowd - we're glad you joined us!

We would like to extend a special thank you to Leah Ventimiglia(and her family) for all of her hard work in putting this event together. I know that planning this dinner took up a lot of her time, and we are so appreciative. Big thanks are also due to Ron & Julie Horn of Buchanan Arms restaurant for hosting this dinner. The food was INCREDIBLE(as always!) and your staff was so wonderful - thank you!

We were in awe of all the amazing items donated for the Silent Auction and Raffle. Thank you to all those who donated and helped make this such a success. Plee see the list below! There were some items that came in at the last minute, and we do not have the names of those donors. If you are one of them, please let us know!!!

Silent Auction/Raffle Donors:

Bari & Neil Bucknam
Mark Burg - CBS/Two and Half Men
Vanessa Burrows
Coors
Cynthia
Suzanne Duffy
Katie DuPrey
Ron & Julie Horn - Buchanan Arms
Anissa Iverson
Kevin Kleinrock - Big Vision Entertainment
Laura Lewis
Linkin Park
Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics
Old Navy
Susan Olmos
Maria Otero - Cookie Lee
Vicki Price
Marcella Prystupa
Ana Reyes - Anamaria Purses
Trish Shaheen
Mike & Anna Shinoda
Whole Foods - Porter Ranch
Marc Zicree
_____________________________________________________________________

*If you were the winner of the "Baby Basket" with the gate, please contact me at allisonzicree@gmail.com. A few pieces were left behind, and we'd like to make arrangements to get those to you.

Please Keep Checking!

I must apologize! It's been entirely too long since I've posted an update on Allison's progress. I'm working on a fun post that includes information on Allison, more pictures, and a FANTASTIC video!

Allison was doing so well after Round 2 of chemo, that her doctor gave her the green light to head home this week. We don't know how long this visit will be, but we are enjoying being home as a complete family.

We're not quite sure what the next step will be because we are awaiting results from her bone marrow test, results should be in next week. The search is still on for a marrow match for her! If you have not already signed up for the National Bone Marrow Registry, please consider doing so! You just might save a life! Please follow this link to register by mail: www.join.marrow.org/friends2allison

Thank you all for your support and continued thoughts and prayers as we continue on this journey.

Warmest Regards,

Allison's Mommy

Don't Forget...Benefit on Saturday!!

Allison's benefit dinner is on Saturday, August, 29th at Buchanan Arms in Burbank!!

Thanks OC Sheriffs

Just ran across the OC Sheriff's Blog, announcing a blood drive, featuring a bone marrow drive for Allison back on August 12th. Big thanks to all involved!

Deputy C.D. Vincent sent an e-mail to Team Allison..."We held the Blood Drive on August 12, 2009. During that time we had a representative from the National Bone Marrow Registry present. We had 44 people stop in and register for the Bone Marrow after seeing the story on Allison. I hope everything works out."

Just me and my shadow....

Well, it may not actually be her shadow, but Allison made friends with her reflection the other night. After playing and walking all day, she caught a glimpse of a little girl in a matching outfit! Check out the video as she talks to, dances with, and even tries to "high five" her reflection!

Another Successful Bone Marrow Drive!

120 new people are now on the bone marrow registry that were not on it a few days ago! Congrats to Kimberly Haim on such a successful bone marrow registry drive at her home in Sherman Oaks! Be looking for more bone marrow drives to be hosted by Kimberly...she is definitely an amazing woman.

For those of you that hesitate to do a drive in Allison's name, I say to you, "Host it, they will come!"

Save the Date: Sunday, September 27

Join Top of the Mountain for a bone marrow drive in honor of Allison Zicree on Sunday, September 27th! From 9 a.m. - Noon and resuming at 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Rolling Hills United Methodist Church
26438 Crenshaw Blvd
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274
(310) 377-6771

Bone Marrow Drive Success!

Thank you to everyone that attened the bone marrow drive at American Martyrs in Manhattan Beach! We had a total of 78 wonderful people that joined the registry on Sunday. Special thanks to Auntie Vaness and Uncle Ricky for representing the Zicrees, and Stephanie and Lori (and her rockstar team) from Be a Match. Also, Team Allison would like to thank Ann Karner for hosting us.

Coming up next...

Kimberly Haim's Home

Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills

What a busy month! Join us for another blood drive!

For anyone who was unable to attend the blood drive and marrow testing in July, Kaiser Permanent in Woodland Hills will be hosting another drive on Saturday, August 22, 2009 from 10am - 7pm. We hope to see you there!

Save the Date: Saturday, August 29th

Seating is limited, please purchase tickets in advance.

If you're interested in purchasing tickets and/or donating items for the silent auction, please contact Leah Ventimiglia for more information: 818.620.8454 or LSV1979@aol.com.

Save the Date: Sunday, August 16th

Kimberly Haim will be hosting a Bone Marrow Drive on Sunday, August 16th, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at her home in Sherman Oaks. If you haven't registered yet to be a bone marrow donor, here is your chance! Visit Kimberly and City of Hope at:

13470 Weddington Street
Sherman Oaks, CA 91401

Don't forget that American Martyrs will be having a drive this Sunday in Manhattan Beach!

Remission Status

At the start of Round 2, Allison was in a partial remission. This means that while her counts were low, they were not low enough to consider her in a complete remission.

She is enduring a second round in hopes that this will get rid of what is left. The search for a bone marrow match continues and we pray that we will find one soon! It is our hope and prayer that this round of treatment will put her in remission and that a donor will be found quickly so that we can move into the transplant phase of her treatment plan.

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers as we continue on this journey.

Nicole & Shaun

(please read below for more info!)

Round 2 of Chemo almost complete!

Tomorrow is the final day of round 2 of chemo for Little Miss Allison. She has sailed through this session like a superstar! Inside her little body the chemotherapy is doing EXACTLY what it is supposed to do. On the outside she is acting every bit the toddler she is meant to be! She has learned the power of shaking her head "no"(but does not 'abuse' it!). She has mastered the art of making doggy sounds, clacking her tongue, and contorting her face into the perfect kissy fish face! She has taken 7 steps all on her own and now dances like Annette Funicello in Beach Blanket Bingo. Speaking of Annette...she even got her first pair of Mickey(Minnie) ears! Thanks Toni & Eric!

Although she is in good spirits overall, this round of chemo has brought more sleepiness, neediness(for extra snuggles), and fussiness that we've never endured before. She has been one tough cookie and is still surprising her doctor with her tenacity and happy-go-lucky attitude.

From the doctor:
“Allison has had a favorable response to the first course of chemotherapy for acute megakaryocytic leukemia,” says Susan K. Storch, MD, Chief of Pediatric Oncology at Kaiser Permanente’s Woodland Hills Medical Center.

“Her bone marrow examination results demonstrate a partial remission and she has now begun the next phase of chemotherapy. It is hoped that she will achieve a full remission in preparation for a bone marrow transplant, if a matched donor is found,” Dr. Storch continued.

-----------------------

The search for a bone marrow match still continues. Thank you again to all those who participated in the drive at Kaiser Woodland Hills, and at subsequent drives around Southern California. The results from the drive(WH) should be put into the National Bone Marrow registry any day now and matched against Allison's type. Hopefully we will know more in the coming weeks!

August is going to be a busy month! Please check back tomorrow for updates on SFV area drives and even a fundraiser!

Warmest Regards,

Nicole - Allison's Mommy

Save the Date: Sunday, August 9

On Sunday, August 9th from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. there will be a Bone Marrow Drive in Allison's honor at American Martyrs in Manhattan Beach. You don't have to be a parishoner, or Catholic for that matter to come and register to be a bone marrow donor. The process is easy, fill out the paper work and get your cheek swabbed.

American Martyrs
624 Fifteenth Street
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266

Let's make this drive as successful as last week's KP drive. Team Allison is so excited to have found out that over 800 registered as Bone Marrow Donors and 150 people donated blood at last weeks drive at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills!

Another drive at KP Woodland Hills is scheduled in Allison Zicree's name at the end of August.

Support Team in Training!

Carlos Pineda will be racing for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training! He is a friend of Team Allison. He needs to raise $400 more dollars in 9 days for the race. Please support Carlos and his mission to make the impossible...POSSIBLE!

http://ironmancarlitos.blogspot.com/

Bone Marrow Registration at all KP Blood Drives!

That's right! City of Hope will be at all KP Blood Drives for the remainder of 2009 doing bone marrow registration! So make your appointment now to have blood donated and your bone marrow registered!

Touching Hearts

This is an e-mail that went out from a lady that does not know the Zicrees, but was touched by Allison's story.

I don't ever want to forget yesterday...July 16, 2009 at 10:17am
...when I went to Kaiser to register with the National marrow Donor Program.

Where I joined hundreds of people, from all walks of life, gentlemen in suits on their way home from work, young people coming in from a day at the the beach (still with the fresh scent of sunscreen), mothers with their babies in tow. All waiting, patiently no less, for their turn to be tested, to see if they could be a match for little Allison a 14 month old girl, whose family is hoping a match can be found. Giving Allison a chance at a healthy happy long life.

It was surreal and beautiful, to be among these people. Basking in the generosity of spirit in the room. The quiet knowing that everyone was there to offer something so simple and yet so precious. Something we have no appreciation for, unless we need it.

Her uncle came into the room, to register himself and stood before the crowd, thanking us all for taking the time to do this. He said it meant everything to their family. That Allison is their heart and the only girl in their lives. They are hoping and praying for a miracle and one of us could be just that.

Its a one in a 200,000 chance that I will be her match. What's important is that we find a match. For Allison and countless others waiting for the same miracle.

My test results will go into the national registry where for the next ten years (you can only donate until your 60) people who need marrow can search for a match. Not just Allison, but anyone else who needs it.

This was a simple reminder about how precious life is and how grateful I am to be living here on planet earth able to recognize the goodness that surrounds me. Life is good.

For more information or to get registered: visit www.marrow.org

What is Allison up to?

Well this has been a busy week for little Miss Allison! As her mom, I'm proud to say that she has reached some fun and some interesting new milestones over the past few days! She was also able to have some 'pint-sized visitors' last week, which included cousins Bailey, Isabelle, and Daniel; friend Jamieson; and buddy Madison. She was so excited to get some playtime with people close to her size. She has also learned a few new words: blue, book, and WOW!

She is still a late-night party animal, but she's been taking more naps during the day - boy am I thankful for that! She caught up on current events, became an honorary member of the nursingg staff, and yesterday we had fun with stickers on her head. Today she received a balloon flower and a balloon rainbow (see below for pictures), she had so much fun with that! She even rearranged furniture(for reading time w/grandpa) in the playroom while using her new talent - WALKING!

Her newest (and quite possibly the coolest) trick is swabbing her own mouth. Several times a day we are required to swab Allison's mouth with a medicated mouthwash to prevent sores from the chemo. This proved to be an arduous task for all of us! It had to be done, so we did it, through the kicking and the tears. Now Allison has taken the task into her own hands. Tonight she dipped the sponge in the wash and swabbed her own mouth!

They say pictures are worth a thousand words, so please scroll down to see what Allison has been up to!

Please Consider Hosting a Bone Marrow Donor Drive

City of Hope is available to host bone marrow donor drives for Allison at churches, schools, businesses....anywhere that there is 20 interested people. There's a special need in communities that are mixed Hispanic and Caucasian....but that's most of SoCal!! Also, bone marrow drives are available to be done out of state!!

Please contact Jill Kendall at CoH for more information! e-Mail BeTheMatch@coh.org or jkendall@coh.org or call 626-301-8483 for specific questions and to set up your location.