Kids4Koan

Koan Pantano is a first-grader at Ferguson Township Elementary School. In January, Koan was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and immediately began chemotherapy treatments at the Janet Weis Children's Hospital, in Danville, PA. His doctors and nurses are amazed at how well he reacted to the first two intensive rounds of chemotherapy AND how well they are working. The best treatment for Koan's form of leukemia is three rounds of chemotherapy followed by a bone, stem, or cord blood transplant to replace his destroyed leukemic bone marrow cells. Since January, Koan's parents, Matt and Emma, have been trading places between their home in State College with their two younger children, Vinny and Lana, and the hospital in Danville with Koan. They will continue at Danville for one more round of chemotherapy, and then will most likely move to Hershey Medical Center in Harrisburg, PA through the summer while Koan receives his transplant and recovers.

To describe what the Pantanos are going through as "stressful" is almost a ridiculous understatement, but they are all holding up well - Koan especially! While Koan's medical costs are, for the most part, covered, other expenses are mounting and the fatigue of living apart sets in from time to time. The Pantano's friends and Koan's class wanted to rally around them, emotionally and financially, to help them make it to September when they can all be together at home again.

Join Kids4Koan by contributing via "GoFundMe" or participating in the run/walk/ride event at Circleville Park on June 9th, from 9:30AM- Noon. There is almost nothing we can do to help with the hard parts of this, so let's do everything we can do to help where we can - with money and support.