St. Petersburg Times: "Mission: Get Amy in fighting shape

Mission: Get Amy in fighting shape; [STATE Edition]
St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Fla.: Oct 25, 2004. pg. 1
Abstract (Article Summary)

Amy Mauer, 16, right, of Clearwater gets a hug from her friend Brittany Link, 19, of Tampa while attending a fundraiser Sunday for Amy and her family at Lakeview Baptist Church in Clearwater, where the girls attend worship services. The church is trying to raise money for Amy, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in January. ALL is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections.
Full Text (243 words)
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Oct 25, 2004

Amy Mauer, 16, right, of Clearwater gets a hug from her friend Brittany Link, 19, of Tampa while attending a fundraiser Sunday for Amy and her family at Lakeview Baptist Church in Clearwater, where the girls attend worship services. The church is trying to raise money for Amy, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in January. ALL is a cancer of the white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infections. Leukemia cells are abnormal cells that cannot do what normal blood cells do. For ALL patients, the abnormal cells are immature white blood cells that cannot help the body fight infections. For this reason, children with ALL often get infections and have fevers. Like all blood cells, leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms. Children with ALL frequently have low amounts of healthy red blood cells and platelets, and there are not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. This condition, called anemia, makes patients look pale and feel weak and tired. When there are not enough platelets, patients bleed and bruise easily.

[Illustration]
Caption: Amy Mauer of Clearwater gets a hug from her friend Brittany Link of Tampa while attending a fundraiser Sunday for Amy and her family at Lakeview Baptist Church in Clearwater, where the girls attend worship services.; Photo: PHOTO, DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD