Sacred Heart School offers prayerful, monetary support to third grader with cancer

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
October 19, 2006

Hope is a word God has written upon the heart of everyone.

That is the phrase which appears on a bracelet that is being sold to benefit a third grade student at Sacred Heart School in Sioux City who is presently battling cancer. Andres Yescas was diagnosed with osteosarcoma just two weeks before the start of the school year.

"Andres and his mother came up with the wording for the bracelet," noted Brenda Ferrie, principal at Sacred Heart School. "Gold is the symbol of childhood cancer."

She said the concept of the bracelet was selected because they wanted it to be relevant to Andres.

The school ordered 1,000 bracelets. The profit - which should be more than $1,600 - will go to the Yescas family. Ferrie anticipates that they will make a much greater profit as some people are making a larger donation than the requested $2 per bracelet.

"The bracelets are being sold at all of the Catholic schools," said Ferrie. "They are also available to the community."

Donations to the family will help with medical expenses, traveling and food expenses.

The principal pointed out that providing aid to a student and their family comes naturally for the faculty at the Catholic school out of their caring spirit. She noted they tend to be "service-minded" and they couldn't think of a better cause than this one.

Ferrie mentioned that Andres recently completed his fourth chemo treatment at the Children's Hospital in Omaha.

The faculty and staff at Sacred Heart School may opt to participate in Jeans Day every Friday by donating $1 to a fund for Andres.

Proceeds raised from a raffle at the school's Oct. 20 Fall Festival will be given to the family.

"Normally, we have given it to a designated charity," noted Ferrie.

In addition to the monetary support, the school offers prayerful support. Every day Andres is mentioned in the morning prayer.

Even some families from Sacred Heart School have joined in the effort. On Oct. 10, children in Andres third grade classroom gave him a quilt that was made by Suzie Feathers. Feathers has a grandson in the third grade. His classmates signed the quilt, which he plans to take with him during chemotherapy treatments.

Another family, Kathleen and Shennen Saltzman, who also have a third grade student as well as a kindergartner, plan to open up a donation account for the community through Pioneer Bank that will benefit Andres and his family.

While Andres is not able to attend school on a regular basis at this point due to the chemo treatments, the Sacred Heart School family stays in contact with Andres through the CaringBridge Web site. The site name at www.caringbridge.com is littleyescas. Andres posts messages to this site and people leave messages for him there.

On his Web site journal, Andres recently posted, "Carter's grandma made me a quilt. I really like it, it is warm and snuggly."

Carter Feathers, a classmate of Andres, said it was pretty cool that his grandmother made the quilt because Andres is in the hospital a lot. He thought it was something Andres could use.

"He liked it a lot. He sat on it the whole entire time he was in the news," he said.

Carter said his class always says prayers for Andres.

Another classmate, Jack Wegher, said it makes him sad that Andres is sick and that they can't see him much. He has bought a bracelet in honor of Andres.

Taylor Ferguson, another third grader, mentioned that they stay in contact with Andres through the Web site. She said she liked to see pictures of Andres on the Web site.

"You can see how when you have cancer it changes your body and sometimes you lose your hair," said Ferguson, who added that someone in her family had cancer in the past.

They mentioned that praying for Andres is very important and they are pleased that the school is doing some things for him.

"When he does come back to school for a visit, the students are very caring. He has been so open about what he goes through on a daily basis from what it feels like to receive chemo to how his body feels that day," noted Ferrie. "He is a brave little boy and is very open about it. I think that helps the kids understand what it feels like."

She described Andres as a very upbeat, positive child.

If people wish to make a donation for Andres, they can send it to Sacred Heart School, in care of Andres.