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By Heather Nyberg-Schlotzhauer

Beacon Correspondent

Like so many little girls, Nicole DeRosa grew up with dreams of becoming a mother and a chef. Those dreams came into reality for Nicole DeRosa as she graduated from the California Culinary Institute in San Francisco in 2004 and had her first child, Rhys, an angel boy in February 2010. But just 10 short weeks after being blessed with the gift of life, Nicole, 29 years old, was faced with fighting for her own. A fundraiser is planned for Aug. 1 in her honor for medical expenses.

Nicole (Frazier) DeRosa is a 25-year resident of Humboldt County and a 1999 graduate of Fortuna Union High School where she made many lifelong friendships and started the journey of reaching her dreams. That journey led Nicole to travel the world and become a Certified Chef starting her own specialized catering business locally. Nicole soon met Robb McClauley and the next chapter of her dreams unfolded with the arrival of their son Rhys in February of 2010.

Nicole had put her chef hat aside to focus on her pregnancy and eventually a new hat as mother. This new hat is something Nicole treasures and is daily perfecting. Just 10 short weeks had gone by when Nicole was suddenly struck ill and emergency airlifted to Stanford Hospital in April 2010. Nicole was not prepared for the words she would soon hear from the doctors, “You have an aggressive form of Leukemia, ALL, or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.”

ALL has about 4,000 new cases each year in the United States of which only one-third (1/3) are adult cases. ALL gets worse very quickly so it is treated quickly to increase survival by chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplants. There is a 40 percent adult survival rate after chemotherapy according to the National Bone Marrow Program, Be the Match. That is why it is so important to take the time to register as a bone marrow donor and give the gift of life.

Aubrey Griffitts of Humboldt County's own blood bank at 2523 Harrison Avenue in Eureka would like to remind the community to donate blood and become a bone marrow donor. “Nicole will need bone marrow and the way to help her receive that and others in need is by going to your local blood bank and donating blood and request to be tested and placed on the Bone Marrow list,” urged Griffitts.

They have three bloodmobiles that circulate the community and can receive blood donations and bone marrow screening and sign up. The schedule for the bloodmobiles and other Blood Bank information can be found on their website at www.nccbb.org.

Three months have gone by and with three phases of treatment. Nicole, Robb, and baby Rhys have been forced to leave their 1st home and move near the hospital for her treatment. According to Nicole's mother, Margaret Frigon, “Nicole was due to undergo her 4th phase of treatment last Thursday, but the doctors have put it on hold and Nicole is back in the hospital. Her immune system is destroyed and she has contracted an infection in her lungs with a complication of pneumonia.”

Hearing the story of Nicole, Aubrey Griffitts a family friend, had her heart strings pulled and decided to help Nicole and her family by organizing a Aug. 1 fundraiser at the Fortuna Firemen's Pavilion at Rohner Park from noon to 5 p.m.

”I am a mother and knowing the family, it just stuck with me. I kept looking at my daughter and thinking I can't imagine not being there and I knew what I had to do,” stated Griffitts.

Tickets for the fundraiser at the Firemen's Pavilion are $20, and all proceeds from the event will go to the Nicole DeRosa Medical Fund set up at Redwood Capital Bank at 1075 South Fortuna Boulevard in Fortuna. A ticket to the fundraiser provides a scrumptious meal of Eel River Brewery Porter smoked tri-tip, coleslaw, potato salad, soda, and beer from the brewery.

The meal will be prepared by Eel River Brewery's head chef, David Bourne. “This is a tragedy and when Aubrey came up with the idea I knew I wanted to do anything to support it,” Bourne said. “I asked our suppliers if they would be interested in donating and each did without hesitation. Frantz donated bread, Pepsi drinks, Sysco the meat, and Pro Pacific donated potatoes and all the other ingredients we needed.”

”Nicole is a brand new mother and should not be facing this,” Bourne added. “She is a part of a whole family here and I truly feel United we Stand Divided we Fall and that is why we are all standing together to support and help her through this terrible time so she can be with her baby.”

Attendees will get a ticket at the door for a free raffle of a case of beer every month for a year. The 12 cases are mixed cases of beer from Lost Coast Brewery, Six Rivers Brewery, and Mad River Brewery. While you're enjoying your meal, enjoy live and DJ music. There will be over 30 silent auction items to bid on ranging from cases of beer, limo rides, local art, and even a “Golden Ticket” for the Eel River Brewery good for 365 brews of your choice at brewery. Friends of Nicole will circulate 50/50 tickets to increase your chances of an even more exciting event.

Mrs. Griffitts encourages the community to come out and enjoy the fun-filled paying it forward event to honor Nicole DeRosa and meet Robb and little Rhys who will be in attendance to express their deepest gratitude for the outpouring of support. Nicole will be continuing her treatment at Stanford and will be unable to attend but said, “I am so very thankful and full of gratitude for everyone who is doing this event for me. So many people in the community that I do not even know are going out of their way to help. Thank you all for caring so much.”

Tickets can be bought at the door, donations or questions can be answered by Aubrey Griffitts at 506-5088.

submitted photo

Nicole and Rhys at Stanford Hospital, bonding between treatments.