For the past year the Kiwanis Organization, an affiliate of Kiwanis International has been working on helping children in the country of Belize. Today they came forward to make two significant donations. The first was to leukemia patient Jevon Mahler and the other was to the Red Cross' Tsunami Relief Fund.
"The whole thrust of Kiwanis Club in Belize is children and when we heard of the case with Jevon Mahler, Kiwanis felt that it was an excellent opportunity to give something to a child and hence the reason why we are here to give this check to Jevon. It is some money to help with the medical expenses."
Patricia Lanza, Jevon's Mom
"The medical bill, well it was a lot of expense but this will help what the Kiwanis Club donate to us. I want to say thanks to Kiwanis Club for helping Jevon and myself. And I want to say thanks to everybody out there who helped Jevon by donating money and help Jevon."
"The second donation is to the Tsunami relief fund. Again our hearts were touched when we saw on the news what was happening over across the world there and we decided even we though we are a small organization, we want to do something and hence the reason for the second donation to the tsunami relief fund."
And while both Jevon and tsunami victims were aided in their recovery with a thousand dollars each, we also took time out to find out what Jevon's recovery is looking like. His mother Patricia Lanza told us that on last week Tuesday Jevon returned home where he continues to recover.
Patricia Lanza, Jevon's Mom
"Well he is coming around you know only because he cannot walk and one of his hands cannot move and one of his eyes is closed down but he is doing okay up to now. But we cannot have him here so long, what happened is that we are waiting for a letter from the hospital over in California to say that they will take care of the medical bills. So that is the only thing holding us back."
Alfonso Noble,
So you are trying to get attention for him in the States?
Patricia Lanza,
"What happen is that it's a church group. You know I guess they saw it on the internet and they will try and help with Jevon and that and so we are just waiting for the letter. Since he's been home, he's eating a lot so that's a good sign for him. Only because he cannot walk but he is trying."
As Lanza stated family members and a church group from the U.S. are working on getting the 10 year old to a hospital in California.
