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Decorations would lighten the load for one needy family EDITOR'S NOTE: "Light One Candle" is an annual Mail Tribune feature that focuses on a single need of a person, family or agency during the holidays. For more information, call reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465. Traditional symbols of the holiday season - a Christmas tree, ornaments, sparkling lights - take on even more powerful meaning in the face of great adversity. For a family in the Upper Rogue area of Jackson County, a gift of holiday decorations would help soften the impact of painful realities, said Alea Kent, a therapist with the Southern Oregon Child Treatment Center in Medford. There are four children in this family: three boys ages 5, 9 and 10 and a girl, 7. Their 31-year-old mother has been diagnosed with cancer of the reproductive organs; their 33-year-old father suffers from a blood infection and may soon need treatment in Portland, Kent said. Despite her illness, the mother works part-time cleaning motels. The father is too ill to work. It's a daily challenge to put gas in the car to get to therapy appointments, never mind the trip to Portland. The family is looking for a new place to live, Kent says, and the children need warm coats in standard sizes. The little girl is hoping for a Nutcracker Barbie for Christmas. To donate a Christmas tree, decorations or other items, contact Kent at 776-0497. Southern Oregon Child Study and Treatment Center is a private, nonprofit agency that provides mental health services to children, youth and their families. The agency strives to serve children in their home communities, with a strong emphasis on family involvement during treatment. |
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