The Advocate-Messenger from Danville, Kentucky • 3

FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2009 A3 LOCAL THE ADVOCATE-MESSENGER WWW.AMNEWS.COM Child beats cancer, becomes accomplished young adult it," he said. "Relay for Life is huge here. There are tents everywhere set up around the track and activities going on all night as people try to raise money for research." Even through tough economic times, the Lincoln County Relay for Life dona-. tions have yet to waver, and Edwards feels he has the answer to why people continue to give so freely. "Everybody, it seems like, has had cancer, has somebody in the family who has had cancer or knows somebody that's had it, whether it be breast cancer or any kind of cancer' he said.

"What keeps it thriving every year is that people know how serious cancer is and they want to do what they can to help fight it. "And it doesn't take a lot of money," Edwards added. "If 1,000 people just give $5 apiece, that's $5,000 that goes to research to find a cure." Or at least make a difference in a cancer patient's life. "You never know when the breakthrough might come in the fight against cancer and, if you don't find a cure, you can find things to make treatment more effective and raise the percentage of people whose lives are saved," he said. Edwards is a possible no-show for today's Relay for Life due to his being selected for the Kentucky East-West Ail-Star Game.

The Lincoln Relay for Life starts at 7 p.m. and the all-star game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Bowling Green on the same night. However, don't count Edwards completely out in the Relay for life event "I'm going to try my best to get back," he said. "The thing goes on all night, so I think I can get back in time for a few 'events? "rf treatments at the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital Pediatric and Oncology Department.

Then, 18 months later, Edwards was having his bone marrow harvested at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio. "He was in three major league hospitals in a period of two to 2 years," Mike Edwards said. The time was well spent. Edwards, whose parents had to endure heartbreaking discussions with doctors about possible organ donations from their baby, wasxured of his cancer by the time he was 2. "I promised a doctor at the Mayo Clinic that I'd call her when he got to be 2 and she said, 1 hope you and I did," Mike Edwards said.

"We're very blessed. The good Lord was with him, I can tell you that." Trey Edwards also feels blessed to have made it through the cancer ordeal, and without any real visible reminders of his treatments. "I still have the hole in my chest where I had the catheter put in to get medicine, but I've not really had any bad effects from the cancer' he said. Well, there is the hair color. "I lost all my hair and it came back a different color' said Edwards.

"It was reddish, kind of auburn, and it grew back blond." "I've been blessed," he said. "I've survived. I haven't had any bad effects. And I've lived like a normal kid and done everything I wanted." Being a cancer survivor is one of the reasons Edwards has chosen to be involved in the annual Lincoln County Relay for Life. "I think it's awesome to see how many survivors there are and all the people that come out to support By NANCY LEEDY nancytheinteriorioumal.com Trey Edwards' list of accomplishments of late is long.

The 17-year-old 2009 Lincoln County High School graduate was the Patriot football team's Most Valuable Player at quarterback and linebacker. The 6-foot, 2-inch, 230-pound All-Area athlete, who has signed to play for Eastern Kentucky University, threw for 800 yards and rushed for about 500 yards and had 70 tackles on defense. Edwards also was a standout in baseball, hitting .400 with three home runs and 16 RBIs as a senior and was an All-Area athlete at catcher as a junior. He won the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's 2009 Sportsmanship Award for the 12th Region and represented the KHSAA at the National Federation of High Schools' annual national leadership conference and at some of the association's events. Then there was Edwards' broadcasting talents that he demonstrated while covering Lincoln basketball and commentating on baseball games over WPBK-FM radio.

Edwards was no slouch in the classroom either, carrying a 4.45 grade point average and being selected for the Governor's Scholars Program. But the biggest accomplishment on Edwards' list has nothing to do with athletics, academics or community involvement At the top of the list is cancer survivor. That accomplishment also is one Edwards has no memory of "I don't really remember any of it," he said. "I was 8 months old when I was IF YOU GO The Lincoln County American Cancer Society Relay for Life will be 7 p.m. today until 7 a.m.

Saturday on the Lincoln County High School track. Relay for Life teams, participating in contests and events throughout the night, will be busily preparing their campsites during the afternoon. This year's Relay for Life theme is 'The 80's." diagnosed with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). I don't have any recollection of any hospital visits or any treatments." The extent of Edwards' recollection of his fight with cancer is in the limited recounts given to him by his parents, Mike Edwards and Lezli Mattingly. "It was a tough time for them and it was always hard for them to really talk about it much," said Edwards.

"It was a lot of bad memories for them." AML is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal white blood cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and interfere with the production of normal blood cells. AML is a relatively rare disease. A small tumor that appeared shortly after Trey's birth alerted the Edwards family to a potential health problem for their baby. "The tumor originated on my face (right side) up underneath my eye," said Edwards. "They went up through my mouth and took it out so I wouldn't have a scar on my face." Edwards wasn't diagnosed until he was 8 months old, but his father sensed a problem immediately after Nancy Leedynancytheinteriorjournal.com Trey Edwards, 17, has been a cancer survivor for 15 years and has participated in the Lincoln County Relay for Life for the past 10 years.

Diagnosed with leukemia when he was eight months old, Edwards has grown into an accomplished, athlete and student. Uncertain of how long their son had to live, Mike Edwards and Lezli Mattingly immersed their son in sports and school at an early age. "out of there," and so it was, removed during surgery at the UK Children's Hospital in Lexington. When the 15-minute surgery to remove the tumor turned into l'L hours, Trey's parents knew the prognosis wasn't good. What followed was a steady procession of visits to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, for further biopsy and the complete removal of any remaining tissue and a series of chemotherapy and radiation Danville Trey's birth.

"As soon as we brought him home I could tell his face didn't look right," said Mike Edwards. "I kept challenging the doctors about it At 4'i months, the tumor popped up and the doctor said, 'We can do one of three things: We can take fluid from it and biopsy it, we can do nothing or we can remove it" Mike Edwards told the doctors he wouldn't be happy until the tumor was liking to Easterbrook takes i nn niruruV To see video of an interview with Leslie Easterbrook, i visit www.amnews.com IF YOU GO is for the Million 8:30 p.m. through June 20 except Sunday and Monday Pioneer Playhouse Show only cost: $15adults, $8children Dinner and show: $27 and $14; begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: (859) 236-2747 or pioneermis.net Web site: www.pioneerplayhouse.com Interactive Campaign Helps Military Service Members Quit Tobacco Leslie is the head-liner for the Pioneer Playhouse season opener. Jennifer Brum- mettjenb amnews.

com year for this worthy RELAY TfW life il By CARMEN SMITH carmenmichaelasyahoo.com Leslie Easterbrook's "luck and fortune" has her as the Pioneer Playhouse's star in is for the Million" this summer. Easterbrook is known for her roles in the "Police Academy" movies and more than 300 appearances in television series, such as "Laverne and Shirley." The play is the kick-off for the playhouse's 60-year anniversary celebration, which will feature four other plays and two special events later this summer. Easterbrook was working on a Christian horror film when she heard about the production at the Pioneer Playhouse this summer. Someone else already was booked for the role as Lenore Adrian Meredith, the hilariously outspoken mother of a soon-to-be bride. However, she said she really wanted to be a part of the show.

Her past work with Robby Henson, the play's director, attracted her to the Pioneer Playhouse. "I really just wanted to work for Robby," Easterbrook said. Henson worked with Easterbrook before in the movie "House." "Robby is a terrific director to work with," she said. "He's very intriguing." She said she contacted Henson after reading up on the history of the Pioneer Playhouse. Henson invited her to join the cast after the person originally booked for her role became ill.

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The campaign Web site come and see. If not the world." Easterbrook said. "It's really unique." She arrived in Danville on May 25 and rehearsed for the play for nine days. is for the Million" opened June 5. Outside of play practice and enjoying her home on the Pioneer Playhouse property, Easterbrook made herself familiar with the town.

She said she really enjoys Danville. "The people here are just terrific," she said. Since her arrival, Easterbrook said she has adjusted to the play but she has been around town, too. Last week, she went with cast members to see the new "Star Trek" movie. "I am a bit of a Trekkie," she said.

Easterbrook also treated the Pioneer Playhouse cast and staff to an evening in a local hotel, where they watched the Tony Awards together. She said she is not looking forward to leaving June 21, but her husband, Dan Wilcox, a television script writer, told her he is ready for her to come home. "He said no, no you have to come back," Easterbrock said. When the show ends, Easterbook said she will begin working on a Internet mini-series. i Back to Basics Chiropractic Is asking In supporting the RELAY FCR LIFE.

For the month of June, all new patients will receive all first day services for a donation of $25. Help us make this a record s-- Hi; it'll1 VS'li-V) I 13 I 1 IJf.l mmW 1 twririfl? Our mtrehimm make (My to discover how muh money rovll Mvet Check out The Advocate Mcsscimef Inocttiarlo -i- 1 "you nave we ngm to rescmu, mniw obligation to pay for services other thf.