Foundation Created For Basking Ridge 4th Grader With Bone Cancer

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — The family of Basking Ridge’s 10-year-old Katie King has set up a foundation to help offset the mounting expenses associated with her cancer treatment.

Katie was diagnosed in August with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer that only affects 200 kids and young adults per year in the U.S.

“Over the past month we’ve had a lot go down and medical bills are pouring in by the day,” said Dan King, Katie’s dad. “The foundation is just a way to raise some money to help with medical bills.”

This past week she was at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia due to her temperature spiking, which required her to need a blood transfusion.

And beginning Friday, she will begin another round of chemo. She undergoes chemotherapy every two weeks, her dad said.

“About six to 10 days after the chemo is the hardest on her body,” Dan King said. “The bizarre thing is that all the side effects aren’t until days after. She has no appetite and is not eating. But after day 10 her energy levels are back up and she regains the ability to get up and walk and eat.”

However, by the time Katie starts to feel better it is time for her to undergo another round of chemo.

“It’s a big cycle,” Dan King said. “It’s really hard for her.”

And everytime she goes in for chemo she has to stay at the hospital for five days each time. This accumulates not only medical bills, but the family is incurring gas, meals and hotel expenses.

King a fourth grader at Oak Street School still has a lot of support from her friends and sports teams. Before being diagnosed she was very active in lacrosse and soccer.

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The girls soccer team is dedicating this season to King.

Donations can be made to The Katie King’s Foundation, P.O. Box 413, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920.

(Images via King Family: Katie King)

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