TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

When Lisa McIntyre read the story about 4-year-old cancer patient Ylaria Carrasco-Cazares in Tuesday's Californian, she did three things:

She cried. She dried her tears.

She took action.

"The story was wonderfully done," McIntyre wrote in an e-mail. "The picture set me off into gales of weeping ... (Then) I settled down to see what I could do."

The Californian has followed the family's story for several months. Of course, the gleaming centerpiece of that story is Ylaria, who was diagnosed in 2007 with stage IV neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer that strikes mostly young children.

Just last summer, Ylaria's medical scans had shown encouraging signs. But in the fall, the cancer returned with a vengeance. And on Monday, Belen Carrasco and Gino Cazares heard Ylaria's doctor utter these 11 words:

"I don't even know if I would give her eight weeks," he told the frightened parents.

Since then, Cazares has returned to Bakersfield to continue teaching at Roosevelt School. After all, the couple have two other daughters who need their love and support.

Mrs. Carrasco remained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City where Ylaria has already begun one last desperate round of chemotherapy.

On Tuesday morning, McIntyre called Roosevelt School to ask how she could help the family.

Melissa Banal, an academic program leader at Roosevelt, said McIntyre's call sparked a buzz of activity at the school. Cazares is new to the school, so many on the staff were unaware of the family's situation.

All that changed in a flash as the story circulated across campus.

Not only did the Oleander-area school start its own fund to help the family, several teachers at the school donated their sick days to Cazares to allow him more flexibility for time off during this crisis.

"Everyone was touched," Banal said. "Gino and his family are part of our school family."

Bakersfield people get busy when they are made aware of a need, said Roosevelt Principal Warren Ramay.

"When there's a need, this community continuously gives," Ramay said. "I don't know what happens in other communities, but it is something this community owns."

The teachers at Pauly School in south Bakersfield, from which Mrs. Carrasco is on leave from her teaching position, have also been donating sick days, Ramay said.

And parishioners at St. Francis of Assisi Church, where the Carrasco-Cazares family worships, have been active for many months in helping to support the family.

On Thursday, an envelope arrived at The Californian from Bakersfield resident Cirilo Reyes. The envelope was addressed to Gino Cazares. Inside was a check for $320.

"The story in the newspaper touched me," Reyes said. "My wife and I have a 7-month-old and I can't imagine what that family is going through."

As difficult as it must be -- and it must be crushingly difficult -- at least it appears they're not alone.

Checks paid to the order of Regino Cazares may be mailed to Roosevelt School, 2324 Verde St., Bakersfield, 93304. Send it to the attention of Paulette.