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  I can't help but keep the benefit for Shawn White on my mind. This is coming up Saturday, Feb. 28 at Applebee's in Paola. 

 Applebee's will be providing their restaurant from 7 to 9 a.m. that morning, including the cooks, the batter, and everything necessary for a pancake benefit all for $5 per person.  King Limo will be there offering limo rides for $10 per person.  Shawn's uncle, Kevin White, said why not call up King Limo that morning from home and get a ride to the benefit? 

Shawn's the young man from Osawatomie diagnosed with rare cancer, so rare his mother Connie White told me, that it took three weeks to find out what it was. 

At 19, Shawn's life was starting to happen.  He was a teller and opening accounts at the Central National Bank in Gardner with plans to start college.  He came home from a snowboarding the weekend of Dec. 20 full of aches and pains and a hard time breathing.  We figured he had had too many falls, so he didn't go to the doctor right away, Connie said.

But Shawn's pain did not go away, she explained. "On the night of December 28th our lives, as we knew it, changed. Shawn was having more pain, so we rushed him to the hospital. After a bunch of tests, we were informed that Shawn has a rare cancer. It was so rare that it took three weeks to find out what kind it was," Connie said.

Shawn had to quit his job because he was having a hard time breathing, and chemotherapy left him without much energy. "He goes in every two to three weeks for a four-day inpatient stay at Children's Mercy in Kansas City for chemotherapy. He also has one to two trips a week to the hematology/oncology clinic at Children's Mercy for blood counts and various other procedures," Connie said.

The Whites make five trips a week to Overland Park for radiation. "Anytime, Shawn runs a fever over 101.5, we have to drop everything and rush to the hospital for IV antibiotics, as when his counts are low he can't fight off infection," Connie said.

Connie quit her job, when they found out about the cancer and treatment schedule.  Eugene continued to work.  At least this was the plan at the start, Connie said.  "This way, someone is always here to take care of Shawn. I have stayed home the last six weeks. My husband has cut down to three days a week. Our new plan starting next week has Shawn's dad taking care of him and taking him to his appointments on Monday and Tuesday. I will go back to work two days. Then, he will work on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday," she said.

The White's income has been cut drastically. Eugene works for American Companion Care and Connie for Country Club Estates.  "Eugene does home health care and loves this type of work because he loves helping people. I am a medication aide and also love helping people. My goal is to make a difference in someone's life everyday. Some of these people have no one. If I can make them feel like someone cares, than I have made a difference. 

"We were both working a full and a part time job before his cancer.  But, no sacrifice is too much, when it is your child. We will do whatever it takes," Connie said.

Shawn, Connie, and Eugene have already learned important lessons about people. "One thing we have learned through this is that people are very good. You see all the news about all the bad things that go on in the world, and you think all people are bad, but when you go through a crisis like we are facing, you change your mind. People have been so loving and supportive. We could never make it without everyone's help," she said. "Shawn is very appreciative of every effort people have put out on his behalf. He wants to say thank you to all who plan to attend the fundraiser and support him."

We think that Miami County is the best county to live in, Connie said. "We are glad to be part of such a caring community. Keep praying for Shawn, as we know against the odds, that God can heal him. Hope to see you at the benefit," she said.

I hope you all make it to Applebee's on the 28^th of February to support Shawn and his family. 

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