February 4, 2011
Blake Thompson
A celebration of life held for Holy Rosary kindergarten student
Mater Dei senior Adam Ferrari presents a signed football to Holy Rosary kindergartner Blake Thompson. Blake was diagnosed with leukemia as a three-year-old, and after three years of treatment he is now considered “cured with less than a two percent chance of recurrence,” according to his mother, Leslie. Adam also received treatment for leukemia when he was a young child. (Message photo by Mary Ann Hughes) Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
Bonnie Decarli was all smiles as she arrived at Holy Rosary School in Evansville last Friday. “It’s been three long years,” she said, adding, “He was awful brave.”
She was talking about her nephew, Blake Thompson, who has undergone treatment for leukemia for the last three years at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
Three long years, filled with fears and uncertainty.
But Friday was a day of joy as Blake’s kindergarten classmates gathered to celebrate his positive prognosis at a party with family and some special friends.
His mom, Leslie, said Blake was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) a week before his third birthday. “He was having nose bleeds, abnormal bruising and petechaie [spotting] on his torso. We had blood work done in Evansville and was sent to Riley the next day for confirmation of the diagnosis.
“Blake had a port placed for IV chemotherapy which he received weekly initially. After six months, his treatments were spaced to every month. He continued to take daily oral chemotherapy and cycles of antibiotics and steroids. He completed three years of treatment and had his port removed on January 14.”
She added, “He is now six years old and considered cured with less than a two percent chance of recurrence.”
During his treatment, she said the family was “blessed with an outpouring of kindness and support. The parish community at Holy Rosary cooked, cleaned and even helped us move. Parents have cared for our other children when we have been at treatments, donated rides and made sure everyone made it to sporting and school events.
“Blake was placed on many prayer lists and those prayers were answered.”
She said her son loves sports. When his kindergarten teacher, Melanie Colavecchia heard about Adam Ferrari, a football player at Mater Dei High School in Evansville who also had childhood leukemia, she invited him to attend the party along with football players from Memorial High School in Evansville.
During the party, Adam told Blake that he had also received chemotherapy treatments as a young child, and as he handed him a signed football he said, “you are a true hero to me.”
Father Bernie Etienne, pastor at Holy Rosary Church, said, “A lot of us prayed the Our Father when Blake was sick. Now we say a prayer of thanks.”