Hallie’s friends come together for benefit

BY STACI WILSON

A birthday for a three-year-old usually entails cake, ice cream, presents and party hats.

But that wasn’t the case for Hallie Brooks, ofLawton, who spent her special day, Nov. 11, 2011, at Children’sHospitalofPhiladelphiaundergoing a biopsy on a tumor in her abdomen that had encased all of her organs and wrapped around her spine.

She was diagnosed on Nov. 8 with nodular ganglionneuroblastoma.

The daughter of Clayton and Rachel Brooks, Hallie underwent surgery to remove the tumor but the benign mass on her spine could not be removed, said her maternal grandmother Cindy Groover.

Groover said that since November, Hallie has gone through three sessions of chemotherapy and will undergo three more long-term chemo treatments and two, 24-hour sessions at Children’s Hospital.

“The chemo has kept anything new from growing,” Groover said but most of the three-year old’s golden hair has been lost in the process.

Right now the family is awaiting the results of a recent bone marrow test and doctors have given her a 50 percent or better chance of survival.

“It all depends on how things go,” said Groover. “She’s got a lot of prayers going on for her.”

But the past few months have been an emotional rollercoaster ride for Hallie’s family which also includes Groover’s husband Michael of Springville and Diane and Ron Brooks of Montrose.

Prior to undergoing surgery to remove the tumor, the child’s adrenal gland was removed.

Groover said, “We almost lost her during the first major surgery.”

But the grandmother said, “She’s a feisty little thing. She’ll tell you what meds she is on. She’s very alert for a three-year-old. She just blows me away.”

Groover said that, overall, Hallie is coping pretty well but has her down days, too.

With long hospital stays Groover said the girl just wants to come home.

“And we want her home, too,” she said.

Groover said the past few months have been difficult for the family.

“I usually watch her couple of nights a week. All of a sudden, it just stopped,” Groover said. “It’s just hard to deal with. It’s mind-boggling. It just floors you.”

“It’s been God’s way of telling us to be there for her and to teach us people are there for us, too,” Groover said.

Groover, who works as a para-educator at theElkLakeElementary Schoolsaid people have been wonderful.

There have been fundraisers, church groups and organizations have sent donations, and jars for Hallie placed at local convenience stores have been filled.

“The gas workers all adopted her,” Groover said. “They have been great about making sure the jugs have been filled up for Hallie. They’ve been very supportive.”

A benefit for Hallie is also on tap this weekend, Sunday, Jan. 29, at the Black Walnut American Legion, Rt. 6, at1 p.m.

Groover said baskets have been donated for the benefit raffle; and other items will be auctioned off by Jerry Burke of Shamrock Auctions.

The ‘Friends of Hallie’ will be offering chicken and biscuit, beef stew and biscuit and macaroni and cheese dinners.

A bake sale is also planned for the event, Groover said.

“People have been wonderful,” the grandmother said as she expressed thanks to everyone who has offered support. “It’s so very much appreciated because the bills are astronomical.”

For more information, or to make a donation, contact Lloyd andAmandaOverfieldat 570-335-6305; or Terri Tyler at 570-466-9311.