‘aumawor-l.a Oakville‘s Business Sch TRAINING EXCEL for WINDOWS By WILMA BLOKHUIS Focus Editor ormally, a little boy‘s fourth birthday doesn‘t make the newspaper, but for Joshua Turner who turned four on Friday, it was a big happy celebraâ€" tion for the whole family. There was good reason for this celebration; little Josh has overcome aplastic anemia, a rare life threatening blood disâ€" ease affecting five in one million children and adults. He is one of the lucky ones. With the odds stacked against his family, an unrelated bone marrow donor was found for Josh â€" such chances are one in 40,000 â€" allowing a lifeâ€" giving bone marrow transplant in April 1993. Today, Josh is a contented, happy little boy with brown hair, brown eyes, and an impish smile. "This year, we‘re really looking forward to Christmas. The last two years have been really difficult for us." There were many trips to the hospital, a lot of them for blood transfusions. "Every time he received a blood transfusion, his life was being saved." "His fourth birthday is a real milestone," said his mother Carolyn Turner. %fw@, Movember 19%, 10 a m Alley Lane Publec Fehool 1160 COd Abley Lane, ADMISSION IS FREE â€"‘ 4 ym Joshua Turner is healthy 18 months after transplant %’LO;’) /9y Jqopec{a/e any time ï¬om Octo[oe’z 17 to Hovember 16 and pick up your p/ay Win j;zequent 5/10ppe’z Card â€" it‘s your ticket to win /a[ou[ous prizes! harmg a tb Airthday Cebbraton and youre mrited to Carolyn and Chris Turner and their children, from left, Lauren, 7; Addison, 18 months; Joshua, 4; and Carson, 2. The picture was taken Nov. 4th, the day Joshua, who had overcome aplastic anemia thanks to a bone marrow transplant, marked his fourth birthday. (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) and many more %d%mamw/érwa WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1994 PAGE 15 Josh was diagnosed with having aplastic anemia in early August, 1992. He was less than two years old when a suspicious looking bruise led his parents to demand a blood test, only to realize their fears that the bruising was caused by something more serious than just a bump to the head resulting from a fall. He had too many bruises: Josh was falling too often. His bone marrow was not producing enough red cells to circulate oxygen through his tiny body: he had no white blood cells to fight infection, hence he was sick far too often; and he lacked platelets to control bleeding from scrapes and falls. Between the time he was diagnosed and his second birthâ€" day, Josh had received four blood transfusions plus 10 transfuâ€" sions of platelets. He was also given two kinds of medication, one to ‘kick start‘ his own bone marrow production, the other to suppress his immune system. The treatment was to continue providing Josh didn‘t suffer any bad reactions. The Turners were told Josh would require a bone marrow transplant, and it was suggested the whole family be tested. Carolyn‘s father came the closest. They turned to the Red Cross for help, which at the time, had 42,000 names on its Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry list. (See ‘Trip to Disney .. .‘ page 16) Featuring CHWO radio personality, Jimmy Tapp who will be cruising on "Cruise Presentation" Thursday, Nov. 10, 7pm at Cruise Holidays R.S.VP Giselle 338â€"2077 635 Fourth Line @ Holland America Line: A TRADLTLON 0F EXCELLENCE the 10 Day Caribbean Cruise departing January 23/95. Semars Crem On Saturday, November 19, 34 lucky people will attend an afterâ€"hours, private Casino Night party hosted by the merchants of Hopedale Mall. On that special evening, contestants will have a chance to win one of 34 fabulous prizes including a VCR, jewellery, gift certificates, a $500 shopping spree and a trip for 2 to Las Vegas. Complete contest rules _ and regulations available at Hopedale. Jc Frequent niaP uit ic Don‘t forget â€" Saturday Nov. 12, 10 a.m. â€" 12 Noon Oakville Concert Band presentation VUL ) UIUINU in front of Hopedale Video Thursdays at 3:00 p.m. during the Anniversary Event November 10:; Anchors Aweigh November 17: Breakfast at Tiffany‘s ply have your card stamped by 10 shops or restaurants re at Hopedale Mall, deposit it in the ballot box located centre court. chwo 1250 He urges people to continue giving blood, and to sign up for the Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry. At the time a donor was sought for Josh, when his story first appeared in the Oakville Beaver on Nov. 11, 1992, between 60 and 70 people had responded to an appeal from the Oakville Red Cross to become potential bone marrow donors. "We would like to thank the blood donors and the bone marrow donors," says Josh‘s father, Chris Turner. "We are among the fortunate ones. There are a lot of unfortunate people for whom a donor match has not been found." During the course of Josh Turner‘s treatment, his family relied heavily on the Red Cross for blood, in addition to the efforts of its Unrelated Bone Marrow Registry in finding a donor. A Special Thankâ€"You When a donor was found for Josh, a AirCanada Vacations. Joshua Turner hugs ‘Elmo,‘ one of the presents he received for this fourth birthday on Friday. (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) â€"â€" _ _ Join the Li * _ Frequent Shoppers Club. Pick up your card Er)gm Hopedale today ï¬)r your chance to win one ; _4 of 34 valuable prizes. _ Vote Janet Mitchell Authorized by the CFO for the Janet Mitchell Campaign "It would be nice (for our family) to be able to give something back the same way somebody gave to us," said Carolyn. Recently, Carolyn‘s mother received a call from the Red Cross. It appeared she, as an unrelated bone marrow donor, may have been a match. She wasn‘t. second story appeared on March 17, 1993, a month before his transplant. The donor was flown to the Hospital for Sick Children for make his lifeâ€"saving donation. "We‘ve since received a couple of cards from the donor," said Carolyn. "The donor, a man, wished Josh well. He knew his bone marrow would be going to a little boy. He seems like a really nice person, and he would like to meet us. We‘ve written back to him." He remains anonymous â€" their mail is handled by the Red Cross. 1515 Rebecca Street. Oakville 827â€"7146 844â€"CHIP | MIDLAND WALWYN Hopedale 1/ TMBLUE CHIP THINKING is a tradeâ€" mark of Midland Walwyn Captu Inc. * Rates as of Nov. 8/94 subject to B LVE CHIP THINKING® A candidate change and availability. you can count on! Regional Councillor Ward 3