Friends forever
Cancer brings families together

By CARRIE DZWIL
Collegian Staff Writer

The 1999 Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon means different things for different people. For families that benefit from the marathon, it means encouragement and hope.

Sharon Liddick has been a Four Diamonds parent since January 1998. Her daughter Samantha, now 8 years old, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia then, and is now in remission.

"(Samantha's diagnosis) turned everything upside down," Sharon Liddick said. "I worked full-time and lost my job. I became a nurse, mother, doctor and schoolteacher."

Thankfully, Samantha went into remission the same year as her diagnosis, Sharon Liddick said, and visits Hershey Medical Center once a month for blood work.

Samantha was at the hospital about four times since her diagnosis. When first diagnosed, she didn't want to hear anything about the cancer, Sharon Liddick said. Child Life specialists tried to help Samantha learn about her illness with an anatomically correct doll, Hillary, which demonstrated procedures she would be going through to battle the leukemia.

"She knew, but she didn't want to know," Sharon Liddick said. "Losing her hair was the hardest thing for her."

But something happened one day at Hershey Medical Center that turned things around for Samantha. She met Chelsea Dalton.

Chelsea, 5 years old, was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia last May. Chelsea was scared about the strange treatments she would have to undergo, and Samantha was there to help her through it, Maria Dalton, Chelsea's mother, said.

"Sammy has helped Chelsea so much," Maria Dalton said. "It's just having someone there to lean on. They can just do their own girl thing."

Chelsea was adopted by Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, 200 E. Beaver Ave., and Pi Beta Phi sorority, this year. Erin Greco and Mike Loughner are one of the couples dancing this year for their organizations. They said Chelsea brought a new spirit to Thon for them.

"She is the most amazing girl I've ever met in my life," Greco said. "She always has that sparkle in her eyes."

Loughner is thankful for Chelsea's positive outlook on life ( it has given his fraternity even more incentive to stick out what could be a grueling 48 hours.

Chelsea and Sammy are together all the time when they are in the hospital. They draw, color, watch videos and go to school together, Sharon Liddick said. When Sammy and Chelsea have a full day at the hospital together, they stay side by side in the infusion room the whole time, watching TV. They insist on receiving treatments at the same time, in the same room.

"When (Samantha) was diagnosed, she closed up," Sharon Liddick said. "Now she doesn't worry so much about going to the hospital because she looks forward to seeing Chelsea."

Samantha and Chelsea's friendship is not the only one the blossomed from tragedy, however. Maria Dalton said she has become a great friend with Sharon Liddick through the shared experience.

"Through (Samantha and Chelsea's) relationship, my relationship with Samantha's mother has been great too," Maria Dalton said. "I know I can pick up the phone any time and she will be there for me."

This article was originally written for the Digital Collegian.