Money is being raised to offset the medical expenses of a Wawasee High School junior undergoing surgery for bone tumors.
Kathy Wharton of Wakarusa will be hosting a spaghetti dinner and silent auction benefit to cover the cost of medical bills and travel costs incurred by her stepson, Trevor Wharton.
The benefit will take place at the Goshen Disabled American Veterans building at 708 W. Pike St. Sunday, with meals being served starting at noon.
“We were told it was cancer on Oct. 11,” Kathy said. “We spent a whole day of testing (in Cleveland), with MRI’s, CAT scans, and the doctor called about 10 and said it doesn’t look like cancer but he’s got tumors on his scapula that’s about three-quarters through his bone.”
Trevor was diagnosed with osteochondroma, a developmental abnormality of the bone that most commonly affects children and young adults between the ages of 10 and 25 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Although 70 percent of incidents of osteochondroma are inherited, Trevor falls within 30 percent where the cause is unknown.
Trevor is an athletic 17-year-old junior at Wawasee High School.
“He loves boxing and wrestling,” Kathy said. “This is really slowing him down.”
Trevor’s tumors are weakening his bones, but before he tore a ligament that sent him to the doctor originally, he thought that the pain he felt was simply from all of the physical activity that he does. He learned that his torn ligament, meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament were all directly correlated with the positions of the tumors on his bones.
Often, treatment is not recommended for sufferers of osteochondroma, but Trevor’s tumors were so disruptive that the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, recommended surgery.
His first surgery was performed Nov. 21.
“They thought that they’d remove the bone and put in a steel rod, but we were lucky,” Kathy said. “They were able to take most of it off. It’s like a smooth bump now.”
Trevor will have at least one more surgery, but may have several to diffuse or diminish tumors at several points on his skeletal system.
Kathy has organized the benefit at the Goshen DAV to raise money for medical bills, travel expenses for the surgery and physical therapy after the surgery, as well as the physical therapy itself.
“My hope is to help Cindy (Trevor’s mom) with gas during physical therapy,” Kathy said. “And cover our part of the bills.”
Kathy’s husband, Mike Wharton, lost his job at Newmar in July. While he has found another job, it pays significantly less than his previous job. They can no longer afford to maintain insurance, and Mike does not get paid for the time that he takes off of work for Trevor’s medical procedures because he has only been at his job for a short time.
The silent auction includes new items donated by local residents and companies.
“We have a really neat NASCAR bowling ball, ABC Warehouse donated some kitchen items,” Kathy said. “A lot of people could come for Christmas shopping. We have a lot of new stuff.”
Kathy’s sister, Stephanie Miller, has been working the phones asking local businesses to donate what they can to the auction and her mother, Jan Grise, has been asking local business to donate food items for the meal.
Those who are interested in donating items should phone Kathy Wharton at (574) 361-1723. Monetary donations are being accepted at any Interra Credit Union branch in care of Trevor Wharton.
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