Cancer patient, 13, helps others

by Don Stine, Correspondent

A 13-Year-Old Fair Haven girl battling brain cancer has decided to comfort other children with serious illnesses - by organizing a campaign to collect hundreds of toys for them.

Erin Puck has had an operation and is still undergoing chemotherapy, but that hasn't stopped her from being concerned about other children and bringing some joy into their lives.

"I feel bad for the other kids, and I am tired of other people focusing on me all of the time because I am going through chemotherapy," Erin said, "I want to bring attention to my toy drive rather than to myself."

Toys.Calm is the name of Erin's campaign to collect toys for children, ages B months to 12 years old, undergoing treatment for various illnesses at the pediatric ward of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick.

Although the campaign name is not a Web site, Erin said the name, which takes off on the phrase "dot-com," fits the cause.

"The toys have a big effect on kids," she said. "One time I gave a little girl at the hospital, who was crying hysterically after getting a needle, a Winnie-the-Pooh bear and I got a big smile from her,"

Erin said she learned through social workers that the hospital was running out of toys to give children,

"I said I'd do a toy drive. It makes me feel better because now I'm not just sitting around feeling depressed about my own situation," she said.

Erin was operated on Oct. 7 to remove a malignant tumor from the base of her cerebellum. The tumor was successfully removed but Erin had to undergo six weeks of radiation therapy and is now undergoing 48 weeks of chemotherapy.

Erin is getting some help from the ShoreCats professional basketball team, which plays its home games at Convention Hall in Asbury Park.

The team will honor Erin during its halftime at Friday's home game and anyone bringing a toy valued at more than $5 will get free admission. The same offer is also good for the team's June 21 home game. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

"We want to help Erin out in her good cause and we will honor her at halftime for all her hard work," said ShoreCats general manager Maureen Alter.

Alter said toys collected at the game will be donated to the hospital.

"The toys will make their treatment more bearable and I know people will understand how these children can have these fears," Alter said.

In the last five weeks, Erin has donated about 500 toys to the hospital. With the help of her brother, Ryan, she has also collected about $800 to be used toward purchasing computer video equipment to keep sick children in touch with their parents.

"I am very proud of Erin," said her mother, Laura Puck. "We have always tried to teach her that where she goes she should try to make a difference and leave things better than she found it."

Mrs. Puck said Erin has been going through a very difficult time herself, but the toy drive makes her feel better and helps her cope with her troubles.

"Many of the children at the hospital are younger than her and they really don't understand what's going on. The toys really help," Mrs. Puck said.

Anyone can donate toys to Toys.Calm by mailing donations to P.O. Box 153, Little Silver, NJ 07739.

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