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Terminally ill boy swinging through time he has left Organizations pitch in to make Landon's dream come true JESSICA CEJNAR Peninsula Clarion After a lifetime of hospitals and doctor's visits, Landon Rogers' remaining months will be spent doing the things he's missed out on. Given only three months left to live, Landon's family is planning motor home excursions, trips to Homer and Seward and a trip to the zoo. "Someone donated a fjord trip," said his mother, Bethany Rogers. "He's really not been anywhere because he's been sick." Landon Rogers plays on his new swing set Friday in Kenai that the Wish Upon The North Star and Rotary organizations built for him. Landon has been diagnosed with cancer and an immune system disorder. Photo courtesy of Kelly Kneaper, For nearly two months Landon, age 4, underwent chemotherapy at Seattle Children's Hospital after doctors diagnosed him with Griscelli syndrome and HLH. Griscelli syndrome severely compromises the immune system while HLH causes the body's white blood cells to attack and kill healthy blood cells. Doctors planned to eradicate Landon's existing immune system and give him a new one with a bone marrow transplant, but after his HLH turned into nonHodgkin's lymphoma and chemo wasn't working, his parents decided to bring him home. "We did radiation to shrink (the lymphoma) because it's behind his left eye and it was causing him bad headaches," Rogers said, "and then we came home because there was nothing we can do for it." Landon's lymphoma has spread to his sinuses and lungs, Rogers said, and a trip to Anchorage will determine how much more his cancer has grown since then. "He's got his good days and bad days," she said, adding that they've been home for a week. "It's harder in the morning when he first wakes up. He's got 21 medications that he takes throughout the day." While the Rogers were in Seattle, Providence Children's Hospital in Anchorage put them in touch with Wish Upon The North Star, an Alaska-based organization dedicated to granting wishes to children with terminal illnesses. "A lot of our wishes pertain to kids wanting to go to Disneyland or Disney World, but we like the hands-on wishes," said organization secretary Mary Rice. Since its inception in 1983, Rice has lost count of how many wishes they've granted. "Landon was so excited when he saw the picture of what he was getting. He said, 'Look at that slide!' He was thrilled." The Rogers arrived in Alaska earlier than Wish Upon The North Star anticipated, but volunteers were able to start construction on Landon's swing set right away. Kelly Kneaper, a member of the organization's board of directors, said that with the help of more than 12 volunteers in Kenai and more in Anchorage as well as help from Era Aviation, Landon was able to play on his swing set Friday. "Landon wanted to see the swing and when we showed him the swing his mother said he needed a toddler's swing," Kneaper said. After a search through Fred Meyer in Soldotna and WalMart and Toys R. Us in Wasilla and Anchorage, a swing was located and flown down to Kenai free of charge so Landon could have it by Friday. "I've never seen a kid laugh so hard in my life and when I left he wasn't getting out of that swing," Kneaper said. "It was neat to see (Landon) so happy." Landon's swing set is a huge redwood affair complete with tunnels, a fort, a slide and swings. Peter Brennan, chief philanthropy officer for the Central Peninsula Health Foundation, gave Kneaper tips on what volunteers to recruit and where to look for building materials. "I actually knew Landon when he was at Children's Hospital at Providence," he said. "I just responded since I'm down here on the peninsula and (asked) if there's anything I could do to help." Brennan put Kneaper in contact with Rick Abbot and Ed Krohn with the Kenai Homebuilder's Association and Soldotna Rotary Club, who recruited some of their friends and came out to the Rogers' home and pitched in. "He came out to check on our progress a couple of times," Brennan said. "On Friday he did come out and play on it for a good 45 minutes Ñ testing it out Ñ before the volunteers left." Rogers said since they've been home, a lot of their time is spent with visitors and keeping busy, but since Friday all Landon wants to do is play in the backyard. "He had a little friend over and they were playing on it," she said. "He likes to swing on it most of all." Jessica Cejnar can be reached at [email protected].