Health Insurance Blog

Taking a deep, slow breath, Alex Kiesling lifts a delicate silver chain bearing her initial out of the heart-shaped silver box. The necklace dangling from her fingers is a cherished gift, the 10-year-old Ashland girl says. A posthumous token from her best friend, 11-year-old Tyson Mageo-White.”This came to me from Tyson’s family.

Right after he died in November,” Alex says.Her loss has made Alex determined to defeat leukemia — the disease that took Tyson.”So no one else has to have this happen,” she says.On June 4, Alex will join others in the American Cancer Society’s annual fund-raising project — Relay for Life. Alex met her pal on the playground of Walker Elementary School in Ashland.

The two schoolmates hit it off immediately, she says.”He was really nice to both boys and girls,” says Alex with a smile. “He had a lot of spirit in him. He didn’t really think bad about other people — ever.”But Tyson had been diagnosed with leukemia when he was 7, says Alex. Although doctors had given a 95 percent cure rate, her buddy was not cured, she says.”He was in remission when we met,” says Alex. “But then he relapsed and got sick again.

In the summer, he got really sick. Then he passed away in November.”Her mother, Amy Cuddy, says her daughter has had some difficult times since Tyson died. Dealing with the roller-coaster of emotions that accompanies grief has been challenging.”No parent wants to see a young child going through a loss of innocence,” says Cuddy. “Most kids don’t see death up close unless it’s a pet, or maybe a grandparent. Usually, with a peer, we’re much older.”

Coming to grips with some of the things Alex witnessed as she stood by her friend during his ordeal with cancer would be emotionally tough for an adult, Cuddy says.”I was having problems sleeping,” says Alex. “But that’s all better now.”Cuddy asks Alex if she can tell “the kiss story.” Alex agrees, but not until she can retreat to her room to play her violin — a favorite stress reliever for the sometimes-shy girl, says Cuddy.”There were some gifts that came out of that experience — like what’s important — what to say,” says Cuddy.

As the quiet strains filter down the hallway, Cuddy describes Alex and Tyson’s final goodbye in Tyson’s hospital room at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland. Alex whispered something to the sleeping Tyson and kissed him on the cheek.

Not much had roused the sedated boy that day, but at the moment Alex kissed her friend goodbye, Tyson’s eyes flew open, says Cuddy. Mutual greetings broke off in giggles as both flushed “beet red,” remembers Cuddy. “Alex’s grandfather said, ‘Tyson was probably dreaming about being kissed by an angel, and now he has been,’ ” says Cuddy, smiling and wiping tears.

Not all their memories are tearful. Alex organized Tyson’s 11th birthday last summer. The memories of Tyson dashing about dressed in gold high heels and one of Cuddy’s maternity bras still brings gales of laughter. “Tyson was so, so funny,” says Alex, grinning.

Pointing to an article featuring a Harvard oncology doctor’s recent discovery of an oral medicine that would fight leukemia without chemo or radiation therapies, Alex’s warm brown gaze grows somber.”They say the childhood cancer cure rates are 90 percent. That’s a good thing. But why couldn’t Tyson have been in that 90 percent that was cured?” she says. “I want to find a cure for everyone.”‘Tyson’s Team’ still works for a cure

Alex Kiesling is raising money for cancer research so no one else loses a best friend, she says.Alex is busy making “Tyson’s Team” buttons for the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life,” planned for June 4 at the Southern Oregon University track.The 100 buttons bear a photo of her best friend, Tyson Mageo-White, who died from leukemia in November 2004.The buttons bear the message — “Tyson We Love and Miss You.”Alex will share her buttons with others walking laps at the 24-hour relay event. “I thought it would be great to look out and see everyone wearing Tyson’s button,” says Alex. “Tyson’s Team” leader Evie Rosenberg has been raising money for cancer research since Tyson was diagnosed five years ago.Unsure if the team would continue after Tyson’s death last November, Rosenberg got a call from Tyson’s mother, Amy Saling, urging the team to continue.

Alex got busy. Donating her toys, baking cookies and washing cars are only a few of her recent cancer-fighting fund-raising efforts. As of May 16, Alex had raised $1,486.”She has already raised more than half the entire team total,” says Rosenberg.Before Tyson died, Alex wrote to friends and family asking for donations to the leukemia society, rather than

Christmas presents for herself, says Rosenberg.”My opinion of Alex is that she’s a wonderful girl who’s going to turn into a remarkable woman — and change the world,” says Rosenberg.All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Call the local office at 779-6092. Or call Alex at 482-2895.For 24-hour information and support, call 1-800-ACS-2345.