Jared Pagett
Jun 30, 2008 05:00PM ● By Super Admin
On the surface, Rocklin resident Jared Pagett seems like a typical 11
year-old boy: friendly, exuberant, obsessed with baseball and, above
all, the picture of good health. But, two years ago, Jared received
news that no child should ever have to hear. After visiting the doctor
for what seemed like a simple flu virus, Jared was told that he had
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).
This devastating diagnosis was the beginning of months of medical tests, hospital stays, isolation wards to keep him away from life threatening germs, and more poking and prodding than most people get in a lifetime. In the end, Jared received a miracle – a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor, which ultimately saved his life.
As Jared talks about the course of his illness, he never once complains about his ordeal. Instead, he focuses on all the people who supported him throughout his hospital stays and home isolation. Jared and his family were also amazingly touched by his fifth grade teacher who went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that he didn’t fall behind in school by getting him his assignments, and tutoring him when he was on home isolation.
When he got sick, one of the most difficult things for Jared to do was to give up playing baseball. His team gave him a special baseball to help keep him inspired to get well, but Jared was determined not to throw the ball until he was healed. After a long battle, Jared got to throw that ball for the first pitch in the 2007 opening ceremonies for Rocklin Little League. This year, happily, he not only got to throw that special ball for the first pitch again, but he went on to join his team.
— Christine Hale
For more on Jared Pagett, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style-Roseville Granite Bay Rocklin edition. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.
This devastating diagnosis was the beginning of months of medical tests, hospital stays, isolation wards to keep him away from life threatening germs, and more poking and prodding than most people get in a lifetime. In the end, Jared received a miracle – a bone marrow transplant from an anonymous donor, which ultimately saved his life.
As Jared talks about the course of his illness, he never once complains about his ordeal. Instead, he focuses on all the people who supported him throughout his hospital stays and home isolation. Jared and his family were also amazingly touched by his fifth grade teacher who went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure that he didn’t fall behind in school by getting him his assignments, and tutoring him when he was on home isolation.
When he got sick, one of the most difficult things for Jared to do was to give up playing baseball. His team gave him a special baseball to help keep him inspired to get well, but Jared was determined not to throw the ball until he was healed. After a long battle, Jared got to throw that ball for the first pitch in the 2007 opening ceremonies for Rocklin Little League. This year, happily, he not only got to throw that special ball for the first pitch again, but he went on to join his team.
— Christine Hale
For more on Jared Pagett, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style-Roseville Granite Bay Rocklin edition. Click on the "Get Your Copy" link on the bottom of this page for some of our newsstand locations. Or, to order a copy of this issue, please email Gloria Schroeder at [email protected], or call her at 916-988-9888 x116.