Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Cooper Miller, the 5-year-old leukemia patient, received a bone marrow transplant on Aug. 27 and is reportedly doing well.
Cooper has JMML leukemia and has been at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland since early June.
His little brother, Jayce, 2, donated the bone marrow for the operation, said Anita Hutchins, who runs Little Promises Preschool, where Cooper was a student. “To this point he’s doing well.”
“The bone marrow transplant went really good,” said Dawn Valloni, who is running a raffle to raise funds to help the family. He is in isolation and will remain there a minimum of three weeks.
“That’s when they’ll know if it worked,” Valloni said. He will stay at Doernbecher for at least another three months in the Ronald McDonald House. Before that, he may get to go home for weekends.
“The goal is always to give him at least a few days at home until the whole goal of remission is reached,” Hutchins said. “He’s now in a very delicate time where he’s susceptible to anything he comes into contact with.”
Cooper’s immune system is rebuilding, Hutchins said, and when he’s able to come home will depend on how long it takes for his immune system to rebuild.
The community has raised more than $10,000 so far to help the family out while Cooper’s parents, Chester and Kerri Miller, must take time off of work and deal with extra expenses, such as fuel. Insurance is covering the medical procedures.
The fund-raising efforts have included a garage sale at Little Promises and a benefit concert held at Community Chapel by local musicians.
“I think it was a fun time for people, and the outcome was fantastic,” Hutchins said.
Another donation came from Alexia Schilling, 6, who opened a cookie and lemonade stand to raise money to take care of her dog, which had an injured leg. She made $56.19, but then decided to give the money to Cooper’s family. Her mother, Patricia Schilling, said the dog is fine and will recover.
Valloni’s raffle will end on Sept. 20.
First prize is a trip to Las Vegas, she said. Second prize is tickets to the Civil War football game between Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. Other prizes include Oregon Jamboree tickets, dinner at Dottie’s Grill in Lebanon, a cord of split and delivered firewood, gift cards to the Coffee Hut and a White’s Electronics metal detector.
Tickets cost $5 each or six for $25.
They may be purchased at The New Era, Little Promises or the Coffee Hut.
Donations may be given directly to the Cooper family at Umpqua Bank, the Cooper Miller Benefit Account.