Benefit sale for sick child

Alaina Allen, four-year-old daughter of Joel and Julie Allen, has been very ill and has been battling blindness.

She got sight back in one eye but was told that the sight would not return in the other. Since then she did receive the sight back with 20/60 vision and things were encouraging.

Alaina was sent to Buffalo for an appointment at the Children's' Hospital Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center's Jacob's Neurological Institute. Her disease, acute disseminating encephalomyelitis, is in the same category as multiple sclerosis and there is currently no cure for these types of diseases.

She was doing so well that they had set up a schedule of procedures for the next weeks, months and years, feeling that she would fully recover.

However, toward the end of June, Alaina was stricken with blindness again and was rushed to Buffalo where she began receiving the same treatment as before, including steroids and intravenous immunoglobin therapy. The IVIG infusion takes eight hours. It is made from donated plasma and since it comes from many people, it is very risky, but it is their only option.

It is rare for ADEM to strike more than once and since Alaina has had two recurrences, they are testing her for other demyelinating diseases because he doesn't seem to fit ADEM.

Because Alaina has had to be on steroids, it has affected her pancreas so she has steroid induced diabetes. The steroids make her hungry but the list of foods, she can have are few.

Alaina's mother has to make frequent trips back to Buffalo for her ongoing treatment. They had to buy a more, dependable second vehicle to make the Buffalo trips.

Alaina's father drives 1 1/2 hours to Oneida each day to his job and now with the added trips to Buffalo, money is getting extremely tight. They have about $18 left each week after everything is paid out. A round-trip to Buffalo with gas, parking, food and other expenses ends up to be about $100.

Sometimes Julie also has to hire a babysitter for their other three children.

The Allens applied for SSI for Alaina hoping to receive some financial help but they are just over the income limit and even though Alaina qualifies as a disabled child, they can't receive any assistance at this time.

If her father loses his job or when Alaina turns 18, they can reapply. But that doesn't help them out of their present bind.

A benefit sale will be held August 10-12 from 9 to 5 at 5729 Brickschool House Rd., North Rose. Donations of items to sell are welcome. There will also be baked goods.

If you'd like to help this family, their address is Mr. and Mrs. Joel Allen, 11438 Blass Rd., Red Creek, NY 13143.

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