ARTICLE IN THE DUNWOODY CRIER

A bracelet to save a brother
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 2:34 PM EDT

We're All Kindred Spirits. Every parent, every neighbor, every compassionate soul will share in the angst that has gripped the Kindred family of Dunwoody since early spring. Let's hope that our united prayers and shared resolve will help them in their journey.

Just five days after his first birthday on March 13, Trenton Kindred was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects only children and only about 650 children per year. His mom and dad, Ginger and Greg, found a lump under Trenton's arm and took him immediately to his pediatrician. Though initially assumed to a side effect of an infection, the rare disease was revealed following a full battery of blood tests and MRIs.

A normal, busy family just 45 days ago, everything has changed for the Kindreds, but their resolve is solid, indeed. A vice president of a commercial real estate company and a sales representative for point-of-purchase graphics, Greg and Ginger have left their respective jobs to care full time for Trenton.

Little Trenton, who loves popsicles and Spaghettios, will begin his third of five rounds of chemotherapy this week. Each treatment will have him and his family at Scottish Rite Hospital for a minimum of six days. Following the chemo, Trenton will have surgery to remove the tumor and then undergo two autologous bone marrow transplants with healthy marrow that has been taken from his own body and frozen. Radiation treatments will begin following the bone marrow procedures.

Trenton's older brother Taylor, a student at the Atlanta Academy and a baseball player through the Sandy Springs Youth Association, is hoping to help with a bracelet that he has designed to help spread the word about his little brother's quest. The royal blue silicone bracelet reads "Trenton's Journey," and is available for $3 each. Checks can be made out to the Kindreds or CURE Childhood Cancer.  For credit card orders, call Jill George at CURE at 770-986-0035. The sales from the bracelets will help the Kindred family with their immense hospital bills and the CURE Childhood Cancer organization.

Little Trenton needs our prayers and the Kindreds need our community support as they face this journey. Let's resolve to make sure our prayers and support lead Trenton into the journeys a baby should be facing -- like chasing puppies and learning to ride a trike.