Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Linda Johnson shares her message at Concert For a Cure

By Kyle LoJacono

Cancer has had a profound impact on Land O’ Lakes resident Linda Johnson’s life for the last 30 years.

She lost her aunt to breast cancer in 1982, the first of many encounters she has had with the disease. Johnson’s mother died of liver cancer in 1991, followed by her father succumbing to lung and brain cancer in 2003.

Johnson has also faced the difficult challenge of battling cancer herself. She was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 1991 and breast cancer in 2001. Fortunately for her it was detected early enough both times and the tumors were completely removed.

Today she is cancer free and will be sharing her story and message at the fourth annual Concert For a Cure at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 25.

“If I can survive so can others,” Johnson said. “I’m spreading the word. I’m a survivor. I’m behind the banner. When you have survived and are still living from cancer, not one time but twice in my case, that’s something to celebrate.”

Johnson doesn’t look at her history with cancer as a negative, but rather something that has made her a better person.

“People ask me how do you go on,” Johnson said. “You literally lost your family. I tell them I believe everything happens for a reason, and I wouldn’t change a thing about my life. Cancer made me stronger made me realize who my real true friends are. Who was really there for me in my life. I’m a fighter, always have been. If you just give up that’s not a challenge. I say bring it on. I’ve been through so much, and I’m still here. It’s not my time to leave this earth.”

Any pain that she relives is negated by the good that comes from spreading awareness.

“If I can tell my story and educate a person about how important it is to check a lump out, or get your yearly physical, if one person listens to me I have saved a life,” Johnson said. “I don’t spread the word about treatments. I spread the word that if you have lost your job and you don’t have the funds or insurance there are still so many resources that will help you.

“For example, October is breast cancer awareness, and almost every doctor does cash visits and lowers mammograms price,” Johnson continued. “Also the board of health right here in Land O’ Lakes offers yearly exams and mammograms.”

Lilly Fontanez organizes the event as a fundraiser for her Relay For Life team called the Sun Rays. She said having people like Johnson at the concert helps the message of awareness and perseverance hit home for those in attendance.

“She’s a survivor,” Fontanez said. “Having someone like her tell her story gives people hope they can get through their own fight with cancer. It also shows what early detection can do so other people get checked out like she was.”

Johnson will be one of several cancer survivors who will share their story at the event.

The concert itself will include several local bands playing in front of the center. The day will also include a taste of the town with several local restaurants. Admission, which is $10 for adults and $5 for kids, includes five tickets to sample the food. People can purchase additional tickets for $1 each.

The event will also include pony rides and a bounce house for younger guests.

All the money raised goes toward the Sun Rays, which will donate the funds to the American Cancer Society at the Relay For Life event at Land O’ Lakes High on March 30. The goal is to bring in $2,500.

        If you go

• Where: Land O’ Lakes Community Center
• Address: 5401 US 41 in Land O’ Lakes
• When: Saturday, Feb. 25
• Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for those 10 and younger

From snapping photos to handling lunch duty, Laura Hauser is always there

 

By B.C. Manion

 

On paper, she’s called the media and technology assistant.

In real life, though, the role that Laura Hauser plays at Wesley Chapel Elementary School is much broader than her title implies.

Just ask her colleagues, or her boss.

They will happily go on and on about the indispensable role Hauser plays at the Wells Road school.

She’s the campus photographer. She handles lunch duty. She checks out books, shelves books and handles other duties in the media center. She puts together the school’s yearbook. She has a photography club for students. She helps teachers with technical issues.

The list goes on and on, and on.

When someone asks Hauser to do something, she figures out a way to get it done, said Principal John Abernathy. “Now, more than ever, people have to multi-task. We have half the resources we had in here last year and that burden has to fall on somebody. A lot of times it falls on Laura.”

Hauser is the ultimate team player, said Christina Twardosz, the school’s assistant principal.

“She does so much for our school. She is always willing to help out – whenever we need her, whatever, even if it is spontaneous.”

Both administrators said they’re gratified that Hauser’s contributions have won her the district title of School-Related Personnel of the Year.

The award goes to a non-instructional employee who has achieved outstanding performance in Pasco County public schools. Hauser will be considered for a statewide award in the same category.

Abernathy thinks Hauser is a worthy candidate for statewide recognition.

“Laura (Hauser) is hands-down the most reliable, the most efficient, the most dependable, the most sincere person that I can say that I’ve run across in a really long time,” Abernathy said.

“In terms of the lives that I would say that Laura has touched – I couldn’t even put a number to it. She’s a very passionate person herself and I think she brings that passion to everything she does. It’s who she is.”

Hauser said she enjoys being a team player. “I think you have to be, with the way budgets are these days,” she added.

Judy Norris, the school’s media specialist, divides her time between Wesley Chapel and Quail Hollow elementary schools. Hauser helps to check out and shelve books in the morning, and takes over the library duties in the afternoon when Norris is away.

Hauser also fills in for Brandon Maldonado, the school’s instructional technology specialist. He divides his time between Wesley Chapel and Watergrass elementary schools.

When he’s gone, Hauser helps teachers with technical issues and helps to make sure that laptops are available for those needing them.

Beth Nichols, the school’s literacy coach, said she turns to Hauser for technical help when Maldonado is away at Watergrass. “We do a lot of online testing and with that, comes a lot of technical support which Laura can provide. She’s essential to what we do.”

Amanda Novotny, a teacher of gifted children at the school, is amazed by Hauser’s energy and commitment – particularly because the media technology assistant has battled with colon cancer while working at the elementary school.

“I do not personally know of many people who can start their morning off at Moffitt Cancer Center being hooked up to a portable chemotherapy machine and head to work at an elementary school,” Novotny wrote in a letter, recommending Hauser for the award.

Hearing her name announced as the district award winner was a thrill, Hauser said.

“I was excited,” she said, adding that it’s been a big year for her family because her husband, Richard, a Hillsborough County firefighter, was named the Chet Tharpe Firefighter of the Year by the Hillsborough County Commission. That award recognizes a firefighter whose service goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Hauser and her husband live in Wesley Chapel, and their two children, Noah, 10, and Tatum, 8, attend Wesley Chapel Elementary.

One of the reasons she is pleased to win the award is because it reflects well on the school where she works, Hauser said.

“I’m honored to not only represent our school, but our county,” Hauser said.

 

 

The boys are all trooping into the campground and their dads come along and tell them they need to put up their tents.

So, the boys go off to pitch their tents.

That’s just one of dozens of scenes filmed in Tampa Bay recently for a new television and DVD series called “Samuel L. Collins and the Search for Biblical Truths.”

The Lutz family behind the project describes the series as a combination of a “Young Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the high-tech gadgetry of “Mission Impossible” and the scriptural conviction of “Veggie Tales.”

In each half-hour episode, 13-year-old Samuel L. Collins pursues top-secret clues to solve encrypted cipher codes that reveal Biblical truths.

As young viewers watch the program, Samuel invites them to help him solve the clues.

The show takes on such themes such as self-control, leadership, obedience and integrity – as Samuel learns how to use scriptural passages to discern Biblical truths.

“He is presented with a dilemma. He confronts the dilemma with scripture. Then he comes to a realization,” said Kristi Collins, who is Samuel’s mom and the writer for the series.

The show will begin airing on the NRB Network beginning March 10,

Segments of the show have been filmed in Bali, Singapore, Berlin, Kentucky and most recently Tampa Bay.

John Collins, the producer of the series, said the goal is to show viewers places they may never get a chance to visit. The Lutz man said he couldn’t ignore Tampa Bay, since he grew up in the area.

“We’re completing the project for television. But we’re also completing the project to be sold as individual DVDs, which is why they’re in no particular order,” Kristi Collins said.

“Season one will have seven episodes,” she said.

The boys acting in the Tampa Bay episode are from local families, living in Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, New Port Richey, Tarpon Springs and other nearby communities, Kristi Collins said.

The episode filmed in Tampa Bay focuses on the theme of obedience, she said.

The boys filmed all over Tampa Bay for two weeks, spending time at a Lutz campground, at the University of Tampa, at Lettuce Lake Park, at Clearwater Marine Aquarium and canoeing on the Hillsborough River. Rosh Jones is the cinematographer.

The series is not like traditional television.

The episodes are not in any particular order, Kristi Collins said. “They are made for moms to grab off of the shelves independently.

“It’s Christian programming. We’re trying to teach children how to take multiple scriptures and reason. We get into a situation in our churches, where we hear a lot of the letter of the law, but then the kids go searching on ‘Can I have another cookie?’ There’s no scripture in the Bible that tells them if they can have another cookie or not.

So, we have to teach them the spirit of the law,” Kristi Collins said.

“There was no way Jesus could teach about all of the small nuances and goodness knows, they didn’t have the Internet or all of the technology or the modern conveniences that we have. We’re trying to say, ‘Take these pieces of Scripture, what is your conclusion?’ ’’ she added.

The Collins family held focus groups to get reactions to some of their early work, and the reactions were generally favorable, although they have done some tweaking in response to suggestions.

“We had six focus groups. We put it in front of about 250 people. It was a good use of our time to hear from them,” Kristi Collins said.

“They were especially excited that Sam was going to be a role model and that he was choosing to show integrity and Christian character to little boys and girls. There’s not a lot out for moms to grab off the library shelf, at the Christian bookstore, as entertainment.”

The family is providing the television programming for free, she said. It will be broadcast in Russia, Indonesia and Australia, she said.

“We’re willing to give it away free. Go dub it in whatever you need to go do ministry around the globe, if this is a tool that can be of assistance to you,” she said.

DVD sales and sales of workbooks to accompany the series will produce revenues, which the family hopes to invest into more episodes.

“DVD sales hopefully will pay us enough to keep on funding it,” Kristi Collins said.

So far, the family has invested about $100,000 in the project, John Collins said.

“We have a business that has been profitable. We do corporate events. That’s taken care of our investment here,” he said.

He thinks there’s a void in the market for this type of programming.

“We wanted to show an example to young boys of a young boy who struggles with everyday issues that they struggle with.

“You have shows like Veggie Tales for when kids are younger. Once you’re past Veggie Tales, there isn’t anything until they become adults.”

Sam Collins said he’s pleased to be involved in the project.

“It’s exciting,” the 13-yearold said.

For more information about the series, visit www.SearchForBiblicalTruths.com.

 

 

 

 

Donations needed to make sale a success

By B.C. Manion

It’s a tradition that dates back for the better part of four decades.

The Lutz-Land O’Lakes Woman’s Club puts out a call to the community seeking

donations to help make the club’s flea market a success.

It’s an important annual rite and there’s a lot riding on it, said Pat Serio, a prime organizer in this year’s effort.

The woman’s club helps about 50 local causes every year, and the flea market is

the club’s second biggest fundraiser of the year, Serio noted.

As always, the club is asking people who live or work in the area to go through

closets, look under their beds, search their garages and check out any other place for

items they can contribute for the sale.

“The way that the community can help is to donate, donate, donate,”Serio said.

The club will take just about anything except for really bulky items,such as refrigerators,

washers, dryers and sofa sleepers,Serio said.The items must be clean and in

good working order.

Every year, the sale includes an assortment of items such as antiques and

collectibles, home décor, electronics, lamps, linens, kitchen appliances, dishes,

glassware and other household goods.

There’s also clothing for men,women,children and infants, along with bicycles,

sporting goods and furniture.

All items are sorted and priced by an army of volunteers, Serio said.

About 60 club members work the market – and they recruit others to help as

well.

“We rope in our children and our husbands,”

she said.

Donations will be accepted on Mondays and Wednesdays during February,

from 9 a.m. until noon beginning Feb. 1.

Items also will be accepted during the same hours on two Saturdays during the

month – Feb. 11 and Feb. 18.

The items should be brought to the Old Lutz School, 18819 US Highway 41, in Lutz.

The club is also willing to do pickups, if the items are too heavy to carry or if there

are special needs, Serio said.

This year’s sale will be held on the first two weekends in March.

Items go on sale Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On March 10, the following Saturday, items will be sold from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at halfprice.

In addition to the flea market items, the club will be selling cookbooks and refreshments

will be available for purchase.After the sale, remaining items will be used by

woman’s club committees or donated to various charities.

Anyone who has items for pickup or who has additional questions should call

Serio at (813) 948-4752 or Phyllis Hoedt at

(813) 949-1937.

 

 

Liver transplant gives Justin Jokisch new lease on life

By Kyle LoJacono

Lutz resident Justin Jokisch got his Christmas present a few days early last year — a new liver.

Jokisch, a Land O’ Lakes High graduate, received a transplant on Dec. 21 and was out the door the next day. Typical liver transplant recipients stay in the hospital for a few days.

“I was ready to go,” Justin said with a smile.

Justin, 29, can smile now, but he was in very serious condition just a few months ago. His journey began in 2003 when blood tests showed he had an elevated level of liver enzymes but was not diagnosed with sclerosing cholangitis until 2006. The disease causes scarring of the liver because the immune system attacks the organ thinking it’s something invading the body.

The condition prevents the body from filtering out the blood and eventually stops the liver from being able to break down certain foods.

“First they said I’d need a transplant around 40,” Justin said. “I wasn’t nervous at first because I thought I had time before I’d have any problems. … Then last year I started getting really sick and ended up in the hospital once a month.”

Justin lost about 20 pounds, most of it muscle mass, dropping the 5-foot-11 man down to 160 pounds while also sapping most of his strength. He said he would end up in bed by 8 p.m. because he was so tired.

“I noticed being tired really bad when we were at a Rays game,” Justin said. “I couldn’t make it walking halfway around the stadium without feeling like I needed to sit down.”

The physical changes started to become apparent to Holly, his wife of eight years.

“He couldn’t keep weight on,” said Holly, who also graduated from Land O’ Lakes. “Just seeing him every day I didn’t notice, but then I saw some pictures from before and I was like, ‘oh my gosh he’s like skin and bones.’ He was also turning yellow with jaundice.”

He was told the disease can be hereditary, but he doesn’t know of anyone in his family who has had it. Justin, who was put on a transplant list last September, said his doctors had no explanation why his condition deteriorated so much faster than expected.

Justin had to wait for his new liver for only a couple months before he got a call from Tampa General Hospital around 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 20 telling him there was a match.  He had his gallbladder removed two years ago because of the disease, but that was an arthroscopic surgery. The liver transplant was his first major operation.

“The day of the surgery we were ready,” Justin said. “We’d gotten called in as a backup a few days before because the person right ahead of me on the list was up, so we went through the emotions that day.”

Justin explained hospitals call in the next two people on a transplant list when a matching organ is found in case the primary recipient cannot receive it for some reason.

“Because we’d gone through being called in I was OK when we got the call for the transplant,” Holly said. “It wasn’t until he was going in for surgery that I started getting a little nervous.”

The two got to the hospital at 9 p.m. the night before the transplant. Justin was able to sleep for a few hours before the operation, but Holly only got about one hour of rest.

Justin was in surgery from 5 a.m.-12 p.m. Holly got updates every so often and had family to support her while she waited.

“I knew I had to be patient,” Holly said. “I knew he was in good hands.”

Justin is still home from work recovering from the transplant, but said he is feeling much better. Holly described him as “a whole new person.”

“His attitude and his drive has changed,” Holly said. “I couldn’t get him to exercise before, but we recently just went on a nice walk. Just his overall appearance looks good now.”

Justin said the top priority is taking his 13 different medications, which include anti-rejection and anti-virals, every 12 hours. Soon he will only need to take a couple once he is more removed from surgery. Justin gave up alcohol in 2006 and doesn’t want to risk anything happening to his new liver by drinking again.

“Right now I’m more susceptible to getting sick,” Justin said. “They said I should avoid crowded places, keep my hands clean and stay away from sick people. Otherwise try and live a normal life.”

Now that Justin is improving, the Jokischs are planning the next major stage of their lives together — becoming parents.

“That’s next,” Holly said. “Get healthy first and then have children.”

To help the Jokischs

The cost of having a liver transplant is more than $575,000. The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is putting together a fundraising bowling event for the Jokischs.

“We’re thrilled Justin received his transplant,” said Lauren Wilmer, NFT fundraising consultant. “But many people don’t realize the lifelong financial burdens associated with transplantation. He’ll need extensive follow-up care to make sure his new liver remains healthy, and those costs can be devastating. At NFT, we’re dedicated to helping Justin and Holly raise the necessary funds so they can focus on his new life without constantly worrying about the costs.”

The event is on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 4-6 p.m. at Pin Chasers, 5555 W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa. The cost is $25 per person and includes two hours of bowling, shoe rental, a slice of pizza and a soda. Tickets can be bought at the door or by calling Holly at (813) 695-4269.