Thursday, July 17, 2008
Community backs officer with rare disease
More than $10,000 raised to cover expenses
by Andy Zieminski | Staff writer
LaKisha Solomon (right), 16, of Upper Marlboro and Diajah Walker, 14, of Bowie serve up plates of food at a fish fry fundraiser for third-year county police officer Mark Lightfoot, who was diagnosed in May with a rare type of lymphoma. Saturday’s fundraiser, held in Clinton, raised $4,426 to help offset the financial burden the illness has placed on Lightfoot’s family.
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Businesses, residents and police officers are rallying in support of a county officer diagnosed in May with a rare type of lymphoma.
Officer Mark Lightfoot, a third-year officer stationed in District 5 and a veteran of the U.S. Army who served in the current Iraq war, has been placed off duty while he undergoes chemotherapy and receives other treatment for his cancer, police said.
Fellow police officers and community members have shown their support by raising money for Lightfoot, 38, to help offset the financial burden his illness has placed on him and his family.
‘‘I know there are extraordinary expenses created by this circumstance, while his ability to deal with those circumstances is diminished,” said Upper Marlboro resident Walter Thaxton, president of the District 5 Citizens Advisory Council.
The Citizens Advisory Council, a group of residents who help the police department address community concerns, hosted a fish fry fundraiser Saturday in Clinton that raised $4,426.
Thaxton said it was natural for the Citizens Advisory Council to collaborate with police and others to host the fundraiser.
‘‘We are working to integrate the efforts of the community with the efforts of the police department, and this was one way for the community to support their police officers,” Thaxton said.
Police District 5 includes most of Prince George’s County south of Route 4, including Clinton, Upper Marlboro, Brandywine and Aquasco.
Those who attended the event included County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D), Police Chief Melvin C. High, county Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton, and delegates Joseph F. Vallario Jr. (D-Dist. 27A) of Upper Marlboro and Aisha N. Braveboy (D-Dist. 25) of Mitchellville.
‘‘We feel like if police officers help us, we should help them,” said Blaise Miller, owner of BK Miller Meats and Liquor in Clinton, which donated food for the event.
Lt. Amal Awad, Lightfoot’s shift commander, said efforts being made on Lightfoot’s behalf have a visible effect on him.
‘‘It’s just awesome to see folks coming together to help him. When he hears what folks are doing for him, he’s overcome with emotion,” she said.
Awad said that before Saturday’s fundraiser, $5,836 had been donated to Lightfoot by co-workers, friends and family.
Awad said the money is being used to cover expenses like food, new clothing for Lightfoot because of significant weight loss, gas for trips three days a week to the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, co-pays for medication and travel costs to help his parents make regular visits from Pittsburgh.
Lightfoot was diagnosed with histiocytic sarcoma, a type of lymphoma, in early May, Awad said. She said the news was ‘‘like a punch in the stomach” for his fellow officers.
Dr. Maria Baer, a hematologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said histiocytic sarcoma accounts for less than 1 percent of all lymphomas.
‘‘It’s extremely rare,” she said.
Awad, who said she is in communication with Lightfoot nearly every day, said chemotherapy and other treatments appear to be helping.
‘‘He’s in great spirits,” she said. ‘‘He’s a fighter. He’s fighting for his life every day.”
Awad said other fundraisers are planned for August, including a bus trip to Atlantic City and a softball game between police officers and a local radio station.
Anyone wishing to make a donation by check should send it to Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89, 2905 Old Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, MD 20773. Checks should be made payable to FOP Lodge 89 in care of Mark Lightfoot.
