JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
On a cold and gloomy winter afternoon, thick, gray clouds loom overhead. Parents, with their children in tow, quickly escape to the shelter of a nearby aircraft hangar. A safe-haven for those seeking refuge from the elements, guests are welcomed here with friendly smiles, music, Christmas lights and balloons.
Inside, this winter wonderland celebration has been created especially for well-deserving children and their families who are weathering a storm of their own. They are the families of and young heroes - children, fighting cancer.
The winter wonderland-themed Parents and Children Fighting Cancer Christmas Party started back in 1987, when a family stationed here had a child diagnosed with cancer.
Jeannette Ruffing, the Family Support center director at the time, heard about all the children who were registered patients at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. She wanted to do something to help, said Janet Grampp, the Fisher House manager here.
It was then that Ruffing decided to host the very first Christmas Party for those families.
Parents and Children Fighting Cancer is a four-person, 503c, nonprofit organization that provides direct support - from house cleaning to education materials, grants for bone marrow transplants and sperm bank donations, and excursions to theme parks and other attractions.
"I can tell you that this event has grown leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, it has grown in that we have more families participating," said Grampp.
This year, more than 40 military families and 45 hospital staff from the Walter Reed Pediatric Oncology Ward gathered for the 26th Annual Parents and Children Fighting Cancer Christmas Party here Hangar 3.
"This is an opportunity to celebrate the season, let the families know that they have the support and love of an entire community and to let the children just enjoy a day away from treatment," said Grampp.
Grampp has been the lead in planning and organizing the event for the past 20 years. This large undertaking is the culmination of many big-hearted individuals.
Fisher House, JBA, PCFC, and various organizations, donated their time and resources for the event. More than 300 volunteers worked to make this day possible.
When you see how an aircraft hangar can be transformed in to a Christmas wonderland, it's pretty spectacular, she said.
Attending the party this year was Staff Sgt. Forrest Arndt, an Oklahoma native, who is a fire inspector with the 11th Civil Engineering Squadron. He attended the party with his wife Lindsey and their four young sons.
Arndt became involved with PCFC in the Fall of 2010, shortly after he and his family were newly stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Shortly after that, Zavian, the oldest, was diagnosed with leukemia at three years old.
Zavian and Lindsey were medically evacuated to JBA where he started receiving treatment at WRNMC. Arndt joined the family shortly after and they stayed at Fisher House on base for about four months where they met Grampp.
She is an amazing person and employee, said Arndt. She helped us so much and made sure the place was a suitable home for the occupants.
The Arndts celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and the birth of their third son, Draius in Fisher House.
"We developed friendships with other occupants and cooked meals together. It was a special time in our lives even though we were going through a tough time," said Arndt.
Zavian, now six, has undergone therapy with a positive spirit. I think that is because the boy is strong-willed and always thinks he's in charge, he said.
Zavian has dealt with the illness by not letting it define him, said Arndt.
"And now, you would hardly be able to tell that the boy was on the verge of death," he said.
Before to the party, they had only seen the other families at the hospital. Being at the event was a great opportunity to meet up with other families going through the similar things.
"Seeing the children who have struggled through cancer therapy now having a bright, shining smile is what the event is all about," he said.
Just about everyone involved is a either cancer survivor or knows some one who has been affected and it's a way for them to feel connected and bond.
There's something special with these organizations, year after year they don't hesitate to help, said retired Navy Capt. Stephen Jordon, vice president of PCFC.
Jordon is serving his second term in this position. The first time was in 2007 when he was going through Naval Attaché training in the Washington, D.C. area. His daughter Emma, 51/2 at the time, was diagnosed with Wilms' Tumor, a cancer of the kidneys that usually occurs in children.
She fought the cancer for a year and a half, receiving numerous types of chemotherapy, radiation and a bone marrow transplant. There was a point where she was cancer-free for three months, and then it came back. They went to hospice.
At that point her body was done. It had been through so much and there was no more fight left in her, he said.
She had just turned seven when she passed away while on her Make-A-Wish trip to Disneyland in Orlando, Fl.
Her doctors did not think she could make the trip, but she was adamant that she and her three bothers would go, he said.
The families are overwhelmed with taking care of a sick child in addition to the regular duties that a family faces.
"The children that don't have cancer are really strongly affected, and entire family unit is affected when you go through cancer treatment," he said.
The diagnosis and throughout can take a year, two years and beyond. Some of the families did not originate from this area and came from overseas.
"They got this medical diagnosis and were put on planes and had to set up their lives here," he said.
The party gives families a break from cancer for a few hours.
"You see the kids' faces light up when they see Santa come strolling off that C-37 jet and down the red carpet; that's a pretty magical thing, he said.
Additionally at the event, were a lot of adults, particularly volunteers, tearing up when they see the kids jumping up and down, he said.
It is impressive to see the number of volunteers outnumber the people attending. The relationship developed between the organizations involved is vital to the success of an event of this magnitude.
Jordon pressed on to his final orders as a Naval Attaché in Ottawa, Canada, then retired and moved back to the area and is now serving his second term as vice president of PCFC.
Furthermore, event participants included the Presidential Airlift Group, 99th Airlift Squadron, 89th Airlift Wing, 11th Wing, 79th Medical Wing, 457 Airlift Squadron, Andrews Federal Credit Union, and Colony South Hotel. Performance Dance Company, The Berryville Baptist Rascals, Chin Hamaya Culture Center, and The Skylarks donated the entertainment. Face painters and Disney characters were volunteers. Cookies and cupcakes provided by an organization called Icing Smiles. Through them, cookies were mailed in from bakeries all over the country.
"Practically every organization on base was represented in some way, whether is was equipment or manpower, they were all there," said Grampp.
For our military personnel it is the most-anticipated volunteer event of the year, said Grampp.
Joint Base Andrews personnel spent their off-duty time setting up, breaking down and interacting with guests at the static displays.
"What Zavian enjoyed most was telling the pilot about the aircraft. Zavian has been studying how airplanes work and learning aircraft terminology and can tell you the difference between and F-35 and an F-22. His goal is to take flight lessons when he turns 12," said Arndt.
Although there has been a tremendous amount of support, volunteers are always welcome.
"I can't imagine that we won't continue to have the support we need. And most importantly, the support of the Wings here at JBA", she said.
With the support of the community an event like this can help families weather the storm.