‘Cut-a-thon’ raises $4,750 for local 4-year-old with Leukemia
Annie Blake with her family at the buzz-a-thon to benefit her family.
Annie Blake was diagnosed with B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia the day before Halloween
–Annie Blake is 4 years old and has been diagnosed with B-Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Her family got word of the diagnosis the day before Halloween. To raise funds for the Atascadero family as they focus on fighting Annie’s disease, friends of the Blake family hosted a cut-a-thon on Dec. 13 at Cal Fire Station 30 in Paso Robles. The fundraiser raised almost $4,750, said Denise Fields of Atascadero, who was the only female to get a buzz cut at the event.
“She has a long road to recovery ahead of her, but Annie is one tough cookie and she is ready to fight with the support of her family and friends,” Annie’s preschool teacher Christi Cooks wrote on the Team Annie Facebook Page. “There has been an outpour[ing] of care and concern for our sweet friend and her family.”
Since Annie’s diagnosis, friends have been collecting gas gift cards to help alleviate the cost of driving to and from doctor’s appointments and treatments, as well as getting meal donations for the family of four. Annie’s parents, Jeremy and Misty Blake, are both firefighters; Misty with Cal Fire and Jeremy with the United States Forest Service fire department. Annie has a younger brother, Benjamin.
According to an article on the Fire Family Foundation’s website, the type of Leukemia Annie has been diagnosed with has the highest cure rate, although it is two-and-a-half-year process and Annie is not reacting well to the chemotherapy and steroids. Just before Annie’s diagnosis, her brother underwent surgery at Standford Hospital for hypospadias and chordee. He will return to Standford several more times over the next year. Annie has weekly doctor’s appointments in Santa Barbara.
The foundation is taking donations for the Blake family to off-set the loss of work both parents will have to care for their children, as well as driving costs. The money will go directly to the Blake family if indicated on the donation form.
A video of Fields getting the cut is posted on Team Annie Support Page on Facebook.
To donate a gift card for gas, drop them off at Preschool of the Arts, 12275 Alondra Road in Atascadero or Studio C Beauty Lounge, 715 24th St. Suite A in Paso Robles. Friends are also selling Team Annie bracelets via Team Annie Support Page on Facebook.
Annie Blake and Denise Fields after Fields got a buzz cut to raise funds for Blake, who is going through treatment for Leukemia. Photo courtesy of Denise Fields
