Hundreds will put feet to the ground to raise $10,000 for children with cancer

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

In the months before his death, 11-year-old Brenton Krouse told his parents he wanted to help others despite his own hardship.

Hundreds now will grant his wish during the 5k Dragonfly Walk/Run on Sept. 24 at Nazareth Area Middle School.

Proceeds will benefit children battling cancer through Brenton’s Hope, a nonprofit foundation launched in April.

When describing her son, Louise Krouse, of Bushkill Township, recalls the Shafer Elementary School fifth-grader as having a desire to make the world a better place. He would tell his family to recycle, help the environment and come up with ways to save energy.

When he grew up, he had ambitions to be an inventor or a scientist.

In July 2008, Brenton was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow and, according to the National Cancer Institute, the most common type of cancer in children. He succumbed to the illness in July 2009 following chemotherapy, infections, surgeries, dialysis and a bone marrow transplant, Krouse said.

But even before Brenton's cancer diagnosis, physicians told Krouse, who has been a teacher in the Nazareth Area School District for 17 years, that her son could die after being born prematurely with kidney failure. At 18 months old, Brenton received a kidney from his mother.

“Through it all, this one child — with his quiet strength — continued to smile and inspire,” she said. “And he always will.”

While there is no goal for the fundraiser, Krouse said, she hopes to raise at least $10,000. Since the foundation's launch, a family from Tatamy has been helped. Krouse said families are chosen based on nominations.

“We want to help the families with their immediate needs so they focus on the health of their child,” she said.

Krouse said she and her husband, Jerry Krouse, began the Dragonfly Walk/Run, following a sign they believe came from their son after his death.

Less than a week after Brenton died, Louise Krouse said, a dragonfly landed on her and then-8-year-old daughter Avery while they sat in their yard. Jerry said he has seen dragonflies in other locations since, even in center city Philadelphia.

“It’s become our totem for Brenton,” she said. “Brenton has touched many lives with the way he handled his illnesses, and we pray he can continue to do so. We can all learn a lot from a child that suffered so much but yet continued to smile through it all.”

***

HOW TO HELP

The 5k Dragonfly Walk/Run will begin with 7:30 a.m. registration at Nazareth Area Middle School, 94 Friedenstahl Ave., Upper Nazareth Township. Members of the community interested in participating can register online at www.brentonshope.org. The cost is $20 to register in advance (includes a running shirt) or $25 if a participant registers on the day of the event.

Financial contributions also will be collected during the event with checks made payable to Brenton's Hope, c/o Louise Krouse, 353 Robin Dr., Nazareth, PA 18064

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2011/09/hundreds_will_put_feet_to_the.html