BY JENNIFER DOME
Staff Writer
BRICK — To Tammy Peters, the officers of the Brick Township Police Department are her angels.
The Brick Township Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) will host its 16th annual Helping Hands Benefit Basketball Game at 7:30 p.m. March 12. Donations collected at the game will help Tammy and her daughter Brittany, 9, who is recovering from a type of cancer called ependymomas.
Brittany was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor at age 7 and underwent a 7-1/2 hour surgical procedure to remove the tumor, followed by 15 weeks of treatment.
“She’ll be watched for a while because the type of tumor she had may grow back,” Tammy said.
Because of the lengthy treatments and traveling back and forth from Brick to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Tammy said she had to stop working.
“You never get caught up no matter how hard you try,” Tammy said.
Eventually, her family lost their home in Brick. Right now they are living in a hotel in the area. But things are looking up — Tammy said they have found an affordable place to rent in Brick and will be moving in April 1.
“Because of the benefit, that’s helping us financially get into this house,” Tammy said.
“I don’t know how I will ever thank all of them,” she said about the township police officers. She added that Brick Township police officer Richard Nelson Jr., who has organized the basketball game with other officers, has a “heart of gold.”
“It is so nice to know that there are people out there that care,” Tammy said. “It’s not anybody’s responsibility what happened to us, but it’s so nice that there are people who care.”
Tammy said that the night of the basketball game is Brittany’s night to shine. She said that even when going through the radiation treatments, her daughter always had a smile on her face.
“She went through a lot for a little girl,” Tammy said.
Thankfully, the MRIs that Brittany has had recently are clean. Tammy said she will always be grateful to the staff at the children’s hospital, and especially Dr. Ray Guirtez at Community Medical Center in Toms River. It was Guirtez who performed the first CAT scan when Brittany went to the emergency room after experiencing a small seizure. The tumor was the size of a lemon then and if it had grown, her eyesight and motor skills on the left side of her body could have been affected.
“He saved my daughter’s life and I will never be able thank him,” Tammy said.
“Brittany’s family is going through a heart-breaking experience,” Nelson wrote in a letter about the basketball game.
The game will be held in Brick Township High School’s east gym. The members of the PBA will play members of the Dragons football team in the basketball game. Nelson said he encourages the community to send donations to the Brick Township Police Department, 401 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick 08723, c/o Officer Nelson. Checks can be made out to the “Brittany Peters Fund.”
“We would also like to invite you and your families to a night of fun, fellowship and community spirit,” Nelson writes in the letter that is adorned with a picture of the smiling 9-year-old.
For more information, contact Nelson at (732) 262-1152.