Team Alex raises money for local boy battling anaplastic astrocytoma

April 21, 2016 | Chris Goudreau
news@thereminder.com

EAST LONGMEADOW – Nine-year-old resident Alex Blais is currently battling brain cancer at Connecticut Children’s Hospital in Hartford and parishioners at St. Paul Lutheran Church are helping to raise money for his treatments.

Church members plan to sell spider plants at St. Paul’s annual Spring Fling tag sale on May 7, which will benefit the Blais family.

Connie Sessler, co-director of this year’s Spring Fling and the superintendent of St. Paul’s Sunday school, told Reminder Publications members of the church became aware of Blais’ illness from one of his former elementary school teachers, Kelly Phillips, who is a member of St. Paul.

“He’s a young boy going through this,” Sessler said. “It’s hard on him and of course his family and not only does Kelly know him, but some of our children go to school with him. So we just thought that whatever we could do to help it would bring more awareness to the community about Alex and family’s needs right now.”

According to a flyer for the event, Alex experienced headaches, blurry vision and nausea over the winter holiday season and was diagnosed with a grade three anaplastic astrocytoma brain tumor. Despite surgery and one radiation treatment, an MRI showed the tumor has continued to grow.

Sessler said she has not met Blais, but considers him a “courageous young boy.”

The Spring Fling will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 7 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 181 Elm St.  

“Our plant sale is directed to Team Alex,” she explained. “One-hundred percent of the plant sale proceeds will go to Team Alex. We’re not going to set a price on the plants. We’re trying to make people aware that this is a donation for Alex. They can give as much or as little as they wish.”

Sessler said there will be about 100 spider plants for sale, which will be decorated by children in the Sunday school program.

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