Leukemia

Big Kitty Kitty still needs help. He recently tested positive for feline leukemia and needs an indoor home without any other pets, or another leukemia-positive cat. He is a 1 1/2-year-old, neutered grey tabby. He is available for adoption through the Community Animal Network. Donations are being accepted to cover testing and boarding costs. Feline diseases are not transferable to people and doctors say cats like Big Kitty Kitty may live for many years without symptoms.

Cory Wanamaker passed away July 7, 2009 after a long courageous battle with Lymphoma / Leukemia. Born in Miami, Florida, September 28, 1956, she came to California over 30 years ago and became a long time Costa Mesa resident. Cory was a graduate of Cal State Long Beach. Cory worked primarily in the real estate field as a marketing executive before retiring to her preferred job of mother. She spent many volunteer hours at the Kaiser Schools and Newport Harbor High as well as donating her time and energy to many charity and volunteer endeavors.

A Corona del Mar mother and daughter combined their skills and pulled off a substantial summer fundraising series of events on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Hostess Valaree Wahler and her daughter Elizabeth Wahler brought together Orange County VIPs with little notice, first for a midweek reception at the Wahler's oceanfront estate, followed by a black tie dinner two weeks later at the Fairmont Hotel, Newport Beach. The combined effort raised a substantial six figure sum to combat cancer.

Local moms pulled off the big one, raising an astounding $45,000 for Eastbluff Elementary School in Newport Beach. The third annual Eastbluff fund-raiser, billed as "Tropic of Paradise," brought out generous local parents intent on underwriting elementary school enrichment programs. The Hyatt Newporter was the setting for the upbeat evening celebration, which called for island attire and floral leis to create a tropical mood. The party was chaired by Marilyn Christian, Debra Pagliassotti and Susan Seger, creating a wonderful testimony to what neighborhood parents can do to make a difference in the school system.

Tori, Erika and Hero Tori is a torti tabby with glints of golden-orange fur, Erika is a beautiful tabby girl, and their brother is all black and their Hero because he saved their lives with a loud cry. Peter and Susan Reasin of Costa Mesa found the three starving, tiny bottle-feeders held captive and alone in the backyard shed. The Reasin family -- parents and children Brenton, 12, Christian, 11, and even Devon, who is 3 -- participated in bottle-feeding around the clock to save the lives of the weeks-old kittens.

Costa Mesa's John Collett has had more than the usual number of twists and turns in his life the past couple of years. He's even done a few sprints, strokes and some pedaling. Collett, a retired Army Ranger, will be racing in the Ironman Canada Triathlon on Aug. 27 in Penticton, British Columbia. He is working with Team in Training as an IronTeam member to help raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, joining about 70 Ironman Canada and Ironman USA participants. Ironman Canada will not be Collett's first race for cancer awareness.

Joey is a beautiful long-haired tabby cat that is now a year old. He has had his share of good and bad luck. As a kitten, Joey was the only one Suzanne Pijloo, a Costa Mesa Ralph's grocery checker, could save as his mother led him and his littermates across a busy street and were killed. Now, the only survivor that made it across the street that day has been diagnosed with the feline leukemia virus. Veterinarian's say to separate a FELV-positive animal from those who are not in any household.

Tariq Malik COSTA MESA - Resident Drew Williams loves his mother and sister. That love prompted him to run and walk 25 miles to an Irvine coffee shop on Mother's Day to honor their memories and raise money to fight cancer. At 6 a.m., Williams, 38, trekked from the corner of Placentia Avenue and Victoria Street to Zanzibar Coffee & Tea, located at the intersection of Jeffrey Road and Irvine Center Drive, where he works as the general manager.

Orange Coast College?s Symphony Orchestra and 100-voice Chorale will pay tribute today to Richard Raub, the orchestra?s former director. Raub, an OCC music professor and chorale director for 23 years, died in his home in Colorado Springs Oct. 5 from leukemia. He was 74. He was known for giving his students some of the rarest and most challenging works. Music professor Ricardo Soto now directs the chorale and singers. The college?s symphony will perform Johannes Brahm?