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| Welcome to Saint Andrew's Lutheran Church Smithtown, New York |
| 30 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown, NY 11787 631-265-2288, Fax: 631-265-4873, standrewslutheran@verizon.net |
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| Day of Pentecost, May 27: Liturgy of Holy Communion at 9:30am Sunday School in recess |
| JOIN US ON Saturday, June 2 at 7:30pm at Smithtown High School West for a Community Benefit Fundraiser for Thomas Erler, a member of St. Andrew's who has been diagnosed with stage 3A Hodgkins Lymphoma. The benefit will feature Broadway talent and Smithtown High School students doing cabaret style perfomances. |
| CLICK HERE to find out more about the Friends for Tom event and how to get tickets! |
Tom Erler is an average 15 year old kid and a member of St. Andrew's.
He lives for his friends, his XBox 360 and the sports that he plays. In February
2012, after a weekend that had involved intense lacrosse training for the
upcoming season, Tom developed pain in his shoulder. A 3 pm trip to the
orthopedist to rule out a shoulder injury proved inconclusive. A visit with the
pediatrician to rule out possible pneumonia was the next stop. Tom was sent for
a chest X-Ray, which showed a fist-sized mass located between heart and lung.
By 6 pm, Tom was meeting with Dr. Robert Parker, pediatric oncologist at Stony
Brook University Hospital.
Tom was admitted to the hospital for a biopsy. Since the main tumor was
located in such a delicate position, Dr. Parker hoped to be able to retrieve cells
with a hollow needle, rather than surgically. The biopsy later confirmed that Tom
had Hodgkins Lymphoma. After a PET Scan and Bone Marrow biopsy, it was
determined that there was also involvement in the neck, spleen, diaphragm and
liver. Tom's cancer was staged at 3A. The next step was to receive a port,
which is a device through which one receives chemotherapy. It is placed under
the skin in the chest, and a tube is placed into the coronary artery. Immediately
after receiving the port, Tom's first cycle of chemo started. Chemo cycles are
individual to each person. Tom's last 3 weeks. Day one occurs on his
admission to the hospital for 3 days of chemo. Day 7 involves outpatient chemo
at the cancer center. From day 7 to day 21, Tom has various blood tests and
scans done to make sure he is progressing as he should be.
Tom was one of the fortunate ones who didn't become nauseous after chemo. In
fact the only real side-effect that he had was hair loss.....and a drop in his white
blood cell count. To keep his count up in a normal range, Tom received
once-a-day injections of Neupogen--lovingly given my his sister, Megan . The
shots are given immediately after he is discharged from the hospital, and have
been effective in preventing his counts from dropping off and wreaking havoc
with his immune system.
At the moment, Tom is in the middle of his fourth cycle of chemo. We are hoping
that this may be his last before radiation begins!! It's all riding on this month's
PET scan......so keep your Tom and his family in your prayers.
He lives for his friends, his XBox 360 and the sports that he plays. In February
2012, after a weekend that had involved intense lacrosse training for the
upcoming season, Tom developed pain in his shoulder. A 3 pm trip to the
orthopedist to rule out a shoulder injury proved inconclusive. A visit with the
pediatrician to rule out possible pneumonia was the next stop. Tom was sent for
a chest X-Ray, which showed a fist-sized mass located between heart and lung.
By 6 pm, Tom was meeting with Dr. Robert Parker, pediatric oncologist at Stony
Brook University Hospital.
Tom was admitted to the hospital for a biopsy. Since the main tumor was
located in such a delicate position, Dr. Parker hoped to be able to retrieve cells
with a hollow needle, rather than surgically. The biopsy later confirmed that Tom
had Hodgkins Lymphoma. After a PET Scan and Bone Marrow biopsy, it was
determined that there was also involvement in the neck, spleen, diaphragm and
liver. Tom's cancer was staged at 3A. The next step was to receive a port,
which is a device through which one receives chemotherapy. It is placed under
the skin in the chest, and a tube is placed into the coronary artery. Immediately
after receiving the port, Tom's first cycle of chemo started. Chemo cycles are
individual to each person. Tom's last 3 weeks. Day one occurs on his
admission to the hospital for 3 days of chemo. Day 7 involves outpatient chemo
at the cancer center. From day 7 to day 21, Tom has various blood tests and
scans done to make sure he is progressing as he should be.
Tom was one of the fortunate ones who didn't become nauseous after chemo. In
fact the only real side-effect that he had was hair loss.....and a drop in his white
blood cell count. To keep his count up in a normal range, Tom received
once-a-day injections of Neupogen--lovingly given my his sister, Megan . The
shots are given immediately after he is discharged from the hospital, and have
been effective in preventing his counts from dropping off and wreaking havoc
with his immune system.
At the moment, Tom is in the middle of his fourth cycle of chemo. We are hoping
that this may be his last before radiation begins!! It's all riding on this month's
PET scan......so keep your Tom and his family in your prayers.