Mold clouds life for cancer patient

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Mold clouds life for cancer patient

Thursday, October 27, 2005

By Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh,PA

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05300/595350.stm

For little Jake Lannin, hope comes in the form of a clean, mold-free

house.

The 4-year-old s boy has leukemia and had been in remission for

three years until earlier this year, when a series of setbacks may

have led to a relapse. Jake's family is sponsoring a fund-raiser

Nov. 5, but it's not for the boy's medical bills. The Lannins need

to raise at least $10,000 to remove toxic molds from their Railroad

Street home so they can sell it.

Two weeks after flooding from Hurricane Ivan last fall, the Lannins

purchased, for about $75,000, a two-story vinyl siding farmhouse

near Finleyville. Neighboring homes had been flooded, but Kristi

Lannin, Jake's mom, said her family was assured that the home it was

buying had not been flooded. No damage was apparent, but still the

100-year-old house needed months of renovation before the Lannins

could move in.

But, as appliances began to fail, it became obvious the home had

sustained serious flood damage. Mrs. Lannin said servicemen

discovered the furnace and hot water heater had been completely

submerged and the warranty company refused to pay for damage.

The family moved into the house in February, and soon afterward,

doctors at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh found a mold called

Aspergillus growing on Jake's arm and in his lungs. The basement of

the home was tested and was found to contain Aspergillus and another

toxic mold, Cladosporium.

At the same time, Jake relapsed into leukemia. " Whether one thing

had anything to do with the other no one will ever know, " Mrs.

Lannin said.

Because of Jake's sensitive immune system, the mold was life-

threatening, Mrs. Lannin said. The mold had to be treated and his

cancer had to be in remission before Jake could be a candidate for a

bone-marrow transplant.

Jake's infections are gone now, thanks to intravenous antifungals

and 18 hours a day of intravenous hydration. Chemotherapy is being

used to treat the leukemia.

In the meantime, the Lannins received an estimate of more than

$10,000 for mold remediation in their home.

The family said doctors recommend that Jake never return to the

home, so they are hoping to sell. Mrs. Lannin, along with husband

Chuck Lannin and their daughter, 2-year-old Olivia, who is to be

Jake's marrow donor, also have been ill with cold and flu-like

symptoms.

Mrs. Lannin said after his transplant, Jake will need a sterile

environment. For now, the Lannins are staying with a family in the

area.

The Lannins -- Mr. Lannin works for Pepsi Cola Bottling Co.,

Greensburg -- are struggling with medical bills and a mortgage on a

house they can no longer live in.

So friends have scheduled a benefit dance at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at the

s Township Fire Hall to help raise money. For tickets, call 724-

941-3000.

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(Janice Crompton can be reached at jcrompton@... or 724-

223-0156.)