Nevada nonprofit helps local families fight childhood cancer
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation assists families dealing with the toughest challenge of their lives: when their children are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.
NVCCF just received top honors with the “Angel Award for non-profit of the year.”
The Yasinovsky family in Las Vegas shared their battle and the crucial support they received from NVCCF. Alma Yasinovksy’s 16-year-old son Diego is now a junior at Desert Oasis High School.
“I’m so happy that my life is starting again,” Deigo said.
Life as he and his family knew it came to a halt three years ago.
“He was more tired than usual, a lack of energy,” said Alma. “One night he mentioned red little dots around his legs.”
Las Vegas foundation asks community to keep donations local for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Test results a day later revealed he had leukemia. The number one priority became saving Diego’s life. The family of six needed a lot of help.
“I had to stop working,” Alma added. “As a Mom, as a family you get hit by something like that you are not thinking how am I going to pay for the house, how am I going to pay this, you’re thinking how am I going to save my kids’ life.”
That’s when NVCCF stepped in as one of the largest nonprofits in Nevada for the amount of assistance it offers families of kids with a variety of diseases.
“It’s not just cancer, it’s sickle-cell, it’s all the immune, all the blood-related diseases,” President and CEO Jeffrey Gordon said.
Gordon said the agency is honored to help these families with emotional, educational, and financial support.
“Today, I signed almost 45 checks for families who need financial help paying rent, mortgages, and utilities,” Gordon said.
Alma said their support made all the difference.
“This amazing foundation with their volunteers, like Tenicia and Brenda, they were taking care of my other kids, calling to see if they needed backpacks, taking them to activities, where they can be normal kids,” Alma explained.
This helped Alma focus on Diego and his fight which proved challenging. His first bone marrow transplant failed to take, but he had success with the second attempt.
“For the second transplant his donor was his half-brother from Puerto Rico,” Alma added. “Six years old at the time, he’s been our hero, he’s the one who saved Diego’s life.”
After nine months spent recovering at Children’s Hospital L.A., Diego is now back at home, one-year cancer free.
“To be honest, I’m just so happy to be out of the hospital,” Diego said.
Diego wants to become a DC Comic book writer. He is very proud of his collection at home.
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