Friends part with hair to aid West Mifflin girl with cancer
Published: June 2, 2005
Little Mallory Oross is battling cancer with lots of help from her friends.
Mallory, 5, daughter of Kimberly and David Oross, of West Mifflin, is the recipient of proceeds from a cut-a-thon at Fantastic Sam’s in Munhall on Sunday. Also at that time, family friend Rachel Mauer, of West Mifflin, will be the first to donate her long hair to the national Locks of Love program, which provides hair prosthetics for ill children coping with hair loss.
The event is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the salon on William Marks Drive.
On July 17, a fund-raiser spaghetti dinner will be held at the West Mifflin No. 3 Fire Hall near Buttermilk Hollow Road. Mallory has been battling Stage 4 neuroblastoma cancer since January, when doctors discovered a malignant tumor the size of a cantaloupe in her abdomen. Further tests showed that the cancer had spread to her bones and bone marrow. Mallory is being treated at UPMC Children’s Hospital. Initially, doctors gave her a 25 percent chance of survival, but she is responding to the aggressive treatment and doctors, family and friends are optimistic.
Because of her weakened condition, Mallory has to stay away from many of her fund-raisers. She won’t be there Sunday, and she had to miss a rousing version of “Happy Birthday,” sung by her friends at Homestead Park Methodist preschool on her fifth birthday May 27. She also had to miss a photo shoot with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week.
Raising money has become particularly important because the Oross family’s insurance company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Anthem, does not cover certain costs. Children’s is not in that Ohio insurer’s network and the insurer does not consider some of the treatments Mallory is receiving as necessary.
David Oross works for Schweibel Bakery, of Pittsburgh.
Kimberly Oross said Mallory depended on as many as seven medications a day. These prescriptions cost thousands of dollars, and some of them are not covered.
“It’s not medically necessary according to the health plan, but [we feel] Mallory couldn’t survive without it,” she said. “There are no ifs, ands or buts. Our daughter needs [Children's], the medicine and the procedures to keep her alive.”
The family’s insurance has capped Mallory’s coverage at $500,000, a figure that could be reached long before the end of her treatments.
Still, Mallory and her family are pushing forward and remaining hopeful. Surgery to remove the tumor will take place later this month. Then more chemotherapy, then, possibly, a bone marrow transplant, then radiation treatment. If all goes well, Mallory’s cancer would be in remission.
Kimberly Oross said the family’s faith had been a source of strength throughout this ordeal.
“For some reason, God has placed this on my daughter, but there must be a purpose,” she said. “I believe later on in her life, Mallory will help other children, maybe even go into medicine.”
The family, including brothers Jensen, 13, and Zach, 10, emphasizes that it is beyond thankful for the community support.
Mallory, too. “Thank everyone for caring about me,” she said.
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