More Than $10,000 Raised For Baby With Cancer

Julia Donohue is a happy 8-month-old little girl with bright blue eyes and an engaging smile that lights up her face. She has the infectious laugh of an infant and brings infinite joy to her parents and 3-year-old big sister Isabella. She can sit up by herself and will soon start walking.

However, unlike most infants, Julia, the daughter of firefighter Bob Donohue and his wife Claudia, is showing strength beyond her short 8 months as she battles a rare form of brain cancer.

There was a line to get into a benefit that was held on Saturday at Chickie’s and Pete’s in South Philadelphia to help a local family whose 8-month-old daughter is suffering from brain cancer.

The benefit was held to help the family keep up with the rising costs of medical expenses not covered by their insurance. More than 400 family and friends attended the event, which has raised more than $10,000. The Donohues were overwhelmed with the show of support at the event.

“The support from the community has been massive, I don’t know how to thank everyone,” said Bob Donohue.

“It’s amazing, I never expected this many people here,” added Claudia Donohue.

And officials throughout Haverford Township came out to support the Donohues and little Julia.

“It is amazing what people will do to help,” Bon Air fire Chief Kevin Kramer said.

“You just can’t turn your back on this little girl,” said District Judge Bob Burke, who is also the solicitor at the Bon Air Fire Company.

“I am glad to be here for such a good cause,” 2nd Ward Commissioner Mario Oliva said.

Friends and neighbors of the couple were anxious to praise them for their active support of the community and wanted attend the benefit to give back to the family. Bernadette Ascareggi of Drexel Hill said, “The turnout is amazing. It’s nice to see the community be so supportive. It is very sad about Julia but I am happy to see people here to support the family.”

Julia was not at Saturday’s event due to her diminished immune system. The Haverford-Havertown Patch visited with the family on Sunday to meet Julia.

To meet this young active family, one would never know the daily struggle they face in helping their youngest daughter fight cancer. The Donohues, who live in Drexel Hill, are helping Julia endure an aggressive chemotherapy treatment to reduce the more than 20 cancerous tumors throughout her brain and spine. Even Julia’s three-year-old sister, Isabella, helps in her own way when she tells mommy “Julia has no tube in her nose, so that is good right, Mommy?”

Julia was born in June and after four months began vomiting more than usual. Doctors first thought it was acid reflux. However, after numerous tests to rule out that and other ailments, a neurologist delivered the devastating news to the family. Julia suffers from a rare form of brain cancer called Gliofibroma. Further testing revealed that tumors were also present on her spine. This cancer is so rare that only a handful of cases have been reported and there have been no cases of Julia’s magnitude at such a young age.

Last November Julia had her first surgery to remove part of the tumor pressing on her brain, but doctors at the Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., could not remove all of it because it was too close to the brain stem. Julia faces additional surgeries, including a surgery to help keep food down since she vomits with almost every feeding.

Julia now receives weekly chemotherapy treatments to shrink, and hopefully eliminate, her tumors. The latest MRI showed a 10 percent reduction in one tumor but no change in others. Julia receives monthly MRI’s to monitor the growth of the tumors and the response to the chemotherapy treatments. Bob Donohue said radiation is not an option because Julia is just too young to handle that course of treatment.

“We go from MRI to MRI hoping the tumors shrink. It is very difficult on the whole family,” Claudia Donohue said.

Because the cancer is so rare, there is no established course of treatment and doctors must plan a course of treatment with no indication of the outcome. Future treatments depend on how Julia responds to the current treatments.

Both Bob and Claudia Donohue want to thank the community for their support. When asked what else they might need, Claudia thought for a moment and said, “Please ask everyone to pray for Julia.”

To make a donate to the family fund, please make checks payable to, “The Donohue Family” c/o Alaina Marchio, 1636 W. Porter St., Philadelphia, PA, 19145, or to the Bon Air Fire Company, c/o Kevin Kramer, 541 Royal Ave, Havertown, PA, 19083.

Please visit a Web site for Julia at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/juliasjornada