Fire departments passing the boot

Last week, the Town of Cathlamet declared February the month of Doernbecher. This Tuesday, Wahkiakum County Commissioners announced their support for the program.

To be precise, February will be the month of the Kiwanis-Doernbecher Children’s Cancer Program at OHSU, and the local Kiwanis chapter will be focused on raising money for cancer research.

This weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, local volunteer firefighters and EMS will be participating in the annual boot drive from 8-4 p.m to raise money for the program. Fire Districts 1, 2, 4 and 5 will be at the Chevron in Rosedale and EMS and Fire District 3 will be at the Market on Main Street in Cathlamet.

The money is used to fund two year studies to doctors who are working on cutting edge research and treatments for cancer.

According to town councilman and Kiwanis member Dick Swart, researchers are now working on an individual genome based treatment that is tailor made for each child and their particular diagnosis.

“It used to be that kids referred to Doernbecher were essentially served a death sentence,” Swart said. “That is no longer true today. Results have been amazing. Some cancers that used to be 95 percent fatal have gone down to 10 or 15 percent.”

Swart is proud of the fundraising done by the Pacific Northwest Region Kiwanis.

“Despite population, this region has consistently contributed way more than some more densely populated areas,” he said. “The region has been recognized for their work.”

Last year the local chapter alone raised $5,000.

“Every penny raised by Kiwanis goes to Doernbecher,” Swart said. “We take zero dollars for administration.”

“My wife loved to support this program,” Swart said. “I’m going to keep it going in her memory. It’s the right thing to do.”

Saturday, February 6, is Kiwanis Doernbecher Day at OHSU. The fund raisers will get a tour of the hospital and attend what is likely to be an emotional program about the work they do there.

Doernbecher is a children’s hospital in Portland.