By Barbara Mount
Jan-Willem Knapen has two dreams. The first dream of the
16-year-old Bellarmine student battling brain cancer is to create a
home where families of other young cancer victims could stay
without charge while the patients were undergoing treatment.
By Barbara Mount
Jan-Willem Knapen has two dreams. The first dream of the 16-year-old Bellarmine student battling brain cancer is to create a home where families of other young cancer victims could stay without charge while the patients were undergoing treatment.
Through his efforts and those of people who learn of him, his dream of a JW House is on its way to becoming a reality. In less than a year, JW’s efforts and personal story have raised more than $400,000 toward the initial goal of $1.2 million needed to construct, furnish and fund such a house at the new Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara for its first year.
JW’s other dream is to ride in a Hummer – one he got close to on March 17 when he traveled to Sacramento to receive a commendation in the rotunda of the state capitol from the California Legislative Assembly
Hospitalized since Feb. 24 and in a coma just the week before, JW rallied as the time drew near for him to travel to Sacramento along with his oncologist Dr. Alan Wong.
Assemblywomen Sally Lieber and Rebecca Cohn welcomed JW, the Knapen family and representatives from JW House and Kaiser. The proclamation honored JW, Dr. Wong, Kaiser and the JW House Fund Committee for their efforts toward creating the JW House.
This particular resolution was sponsored by JW’s local representatives and was co-sponsored by Joe Coto, John Laird, Ira Ruskin, Simón Salinas, Alberto Torrico and
Senators Elaine Alquist, Liz Figueroa and S. Joseph Simitian – representatives from all over the State of California.
Knowing of his dream, Helen Marchese Owen, chairwoman of the JW House Board and Barbara Mount, president of the board, worked with Le Grand Affaire to secure a Hummer limousine for the day, but JW had to make the trip in an ambulance to support the equipment he needed. However, his twin sisters Helena and Elizabeth, his little brother Alexander and their parents Anne-Marie and Geert rode up and back in the Hummer.
While JW remains hospitalized, he continues to help with fund raising efforts. Already, more than 40,000 blue rubber bracelets with his personal motto of “Never ever give up,” have been sold at $2 each, with profits going to the building fund.
For more information visit www.jwhouse.org.
