Run for Uzias 5k Run/Walk - a 9 year old with brain tumors

Run for Uzias 5k in Emmaus on April 13

Help a local 9-year-old win his fight against brain cancer by raising money for alternative treatment that will help protect his ability to speak—and his life

Join the Seven Generations Charter School community in helping raise money for Uzias Paulino, a 9-year-old boy who was diagnosed with grade III Anaplastic Glioneuronal brain tumors. This family event will have the Run For Uzias 5K and a 1 mile fun run which will be held in on Saturday, April 13, with the starting line at the Emmaus High School track (Pine Street side). All proceeds will help to offset the medical care costs of Uzias, whose family has sought alternative treatments in an effort to save Uzias’ voice—and his life.

About the Run for Uzias 5k:

• Registration is $20 until April 3^rd; from April 4th to Race Day, entry is $25
• Pre-register online at Active.com by
  searching "Run for Uzias"
• The flat and fast 5k run/walk course will start at 8:30 am on Pine Street (right outside of the Emmaus High School Track)
• 1 mile fun run/walk will take place around the track at 8:00 am
• First 200 runners will get a t-shirt in
  their bags (designed by a 4th grader from Seven Generations Charter School!)
• Awards to the overall 1st place male
  and female runners as well as the first 3 males and females from each of the following categories: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60 and over.
• Light refreshments will be served after the race

Uzias is no different than any other child his age; he loves to play with his toys, build new things and loves to solve all kinds of puzzles. His favorite toys include his Lego and Transformer collections, where assembly and imagination is essential. Uzias is an extremely active and creative child who loves spending time with his two younger brothers, playing a variety of sports and enjoying time at the playground. Although he is fond of reading, especially the Dairy of a Wimpy Kid series, his favorite subject is math and he dreams of becoming an engineer one day.

In short, Uzias is just a ball full of energy and happiness with a spirit best described as sweet and considerate. But in December of 2010, all of Uzias’ dreams and joy were fogged when he was diagnosed with an Anaplastic Glioneuronal brain tumor, Grade III. Due to Uzias’ symptoms and the severity of this tumor, he had to undergo surgery three days after his diagnosis. After 10 months of grueling chemotherapy treatments, the tumor returned. A second surgery was required in October 2011. This time, the doctors recommended the radiation therapy because there was no other option left. After meeting with the radio-oncologist, Uzias’ family discovered that the radiation treatment offered more negative side effects than benefits. There was a possibility that Uzias’ way of life would diminish considerably and there was no guarantee the tumor would be removed. Therefore, in the attempt to avoid damage to Uzias’ undeveloped nine year old brain with radiation before at least giving an alternate treatment with less side effects a try, they decided to pursue natural treatments instead.

The family performed many natural treatments favorable for Uzias, and they remain hopeful. Uzias had his third surgery on May 29, 2012 to remove the recurrence of the same tumor.  Since the first surgery, his family has changed Uzias’ diet completely, completing several detoxification treatments every two weeks, and many natural medications that would help him to get rid of diseases and impurities from his body.  Unfortunately, once again in December 2012, the MRI showed the return of the tumor. And not only that, the tumor has spread nearby in an area that the doctor have denied to do surgery on it because it would do more harm than good--it would effect Uzias speech forever.

Through it all, Uzias’ family’s mission is to help Uzias get stronger, healthier and free of cancer. The family continues to pursue better treatment options for Uzias, something that will leave more than just his shell if he survives this cancer. Despite their limited resources, Uzias and his family will never give up the pursuit of a treatment that will cure him. Initially, the family had disregarded the idea of soliciting money from friends and family to pay for any out-of-pocket costs associated with his illness. However, after depleting all of their monetary resources, they have decided to ask for help in funding a new alternative treatment that does not involve either chemotherapy or radiation.
 
That’s where the staff and community of Seven Generations Charter School stepped in. Upon hearing of Uzias’ family’s struggles, his teachers and friends resolved to help in any way they could. First, Seven Gen’s Physical Education teacher Edit Ginsburg held two yoga fundraisers, which raised almost $1000. Then, Seven Gen’s EIC Coordinator Robert Aptaker hosted an evening of storytelling at the Emmaus Public Library as a fundraiser. And now, Louise Moyer, Uzias’ 2^nd grade teacher, and Seven Gen’s Music teacher, Katie Pulizzano, an avid competitive triathlete, have put their caring and passion to work and quickly organized the Run for Uzias 5k. Officials from the Emmaus Borough and the East Penn School District bent over backwards to help make the event possible. “Uzias is such a great kid, and we all love his family so much,” says Pulizzano. “I know that if we all pull together, we can help Uzias beat this!”

Today, Uzias holds on even though he struggles daily with severe head pain directly associated with the cancer. It’s a daily reminder of his condition as the thought of what this tumor can do to his little body is devastating he remains positive and a joy to be around. While Uzias recovers from his latest round of care at the Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research in North Carolina, his family, friends, former classmates and teachers are eagerly anticipating this event to help raise the $50,000 needed to cover his treatment (which was not covered by health insurance). Please come out and join the entire Seven Generations community as they rally behind Uzias and his family! “Any support you can give is more than appreciated and I am sure God will reward you for it,” says Janiris Villar, Uzias’ mother. “Even a prayer for my son would be the greatest gift.”

You can read more and follow Uzias’ journey
at https://www.facebook.com/HelpForUzias.

Contact: Katie Pulizzano, by email: katie.pulizzano@gmail.com
or by phone: 267-261-4443