Friends planning dinner-dance
to aid girl’s medical treatment
MANALAPAN — A dinner-dance on behalf of Olivia Zonis will be held at the Manasquan Elks Club on April 21.
Olivia, 6, of Manalapan, has a rare inoperable brain tumor. She recently completed six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation which, according to her grandmother, Sherry Zonis, have effectively reduced the size of the tumor by 50 percent. Zonis said Olivia’s doctors have reported that the child is currently in remission. Her next examination is due in three months.
Zonis also said now that Olivia has regained 98 percent of her motor skills, she has been able to return to class at the Clark Mills School and to playing soccer. This is good news and Olivia’s family is thankful for her progress.
Zonis said Olivia cannot have radiation again to the area that has already been treated. According to Zonis, Olivia’s doctors are adopting a day-to-day attitude about the prognosis for the child’s recovery.
"They’re just not sure at this time," she said.
The family, in their concern for the child, believe that investigating alternative methods of treating tumors would benefit Olivia right now. Olivia is set to travel to Houston, Texas, on April 6 and will begin receiving anti-neoplastons treatment at the Bruznski Clinic, a treatment the Zonises believe will help Olivia. It is a two-week regimen that is given intravenously through a port and a pump so that Olivia can be treated as an outpatient and stay with her family during the course of treatment.
Olivia’s mother, Anna Zonis, said the treatment is still undergoing Food and Drug Administration trials. She said the results of this course of treatment have been varied.
"Some people have good results and go into remission, others have the tumor stabilized. There are no guarantees but we’re willing to try this for Olivia," she said.
Although Olivia is not happy about leaving school and her friends again, her mother said they will make the trip as much fun as they can for her.
This treatment is expensive and is not covered under regular health insurance so family and friends are doing their best to raise funds for Olivia’s transportation, expenses and treatments.
According to Zonis, there have been several fund-raising events held to date as well as the establishment of the Olivia Zonis Foundation, set up by her grandparents, Sherry and Gene, which have yielded a good amount of financial assistance to the family. "Olivia’s Olympics" was held at the Congregation Sons of Israel nursery school on Feb. 15 and raised more than $3,000.
Friends at Olivia’s school, Clark Mills in Manalapan, got together and put on a dance-a-thon for Olivia’s benefit and raised more than $10,000 in pledges.
The April 21 dinner-dance to benefit Olivia will be held in Manasquan from 5-9 p.m. Tickets will be $45 each or two for $85. Food is being provided by the Great Restaurants company, owners and operators of 75 South, Cafe Calore and Metropolitan Cafe, all in Freehold, and Nonna’s in Marlboro. A cash bar and a silent auction will also be available.
Zonis said any donated items for the auction would be greatly appreciated. So far, auction items include tickets for a New York Yankees game, handmade crafts and photographs. Music for the event will be provided by Lonny Narson’s Noble Productions.
For information about the benefit, contact Noble Productions, (732) 972-6944, or Sherry Zonis, (732) 780-3467.