Crofton rallies behind ailing girl

On 8-year-old Cameron Diamond's birthday on Thursday she opened one gift in her hospital room at the St. Louis Children's Hospital.

Cameron was born with leukemia and underwent a bone-marrow transplant when she was 6 months old. Two years ago, doctors at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore told Cameron and her family that she was in remission. The Diamond family, which includes her mother Carol, her father B.J. and sisters Mandi and Julia, thought the fight was finally over.

However, the celebration was cut short when Cameron contracted pneumonia, and doctors discovered the chemotherapy and radiation treatments that cured her of cancer had destroyed her lungs.

In February, Cameron entered the intensive-care unit at Johns Hopkins and earlier this month was flown to St. Louis Children's Hospital to await a lung transplant. On her eighth birthday, the transplant team in St. Louis deemed Cameron an eligible candidate for the transplant operation after weeks of uncertainty about whether her body could withstand surgery after fighting a fungal infection just weeks earlier.

"The infection was a punch in the gut because the things that can happen are very scary," said Mr. Diamond. "We're going do whatever we can to improve her quality of life."

When the word of Cameron's illness spread throughout the community, Crofton residents stepped up to support the family, and the outpouring of kindness has been constant, said Sue Kennedy, Ms. Diamond's grandmother.

"Crofton deserves a great big pat on the back," Ms. Kennedy said. "I've not seen this kind of outpouring in years."

Neighbors, friends, relatives and strangers delivered gas cards, Visa check cards, gift baskets and meals over the course of Cameron's illness. For the Diamonds, however, emotional support from the community is what keeps them focused.

"We couldn't sanely get through this without the love, support and prayers of the community," Mr. Diamond said.

A guest book on a Web site dedicated to Cameron's story at www.camerondiamond.org features dozens of pages of messages, prayers, anecdotes and good luck wishes from Crofton and beyond.

"It's the guest book and the constant well wishes," Mr. Diamond said. "The best word I can use is humbled. There's no way to repay family and friends and even strangers for the support they've given us."

Even celebrities are offering their support.

Photographs of Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, singer Jewel and rodeo star Ty Murray wearing "CamPower" bracelets in support of the campaign for The Cameron Diamond Assistance Fund are featured on the CamPower Web site.

Fundraisers, benefits and other events are peppered throughout the upcoming months.

There will be a CamPower table at the Crofton Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Crofton Country Club on the Crofton Parkway, and a Cameron Diamond Day May 7 at the Chick-fil-A in the Village at Waugh Chapel shopping center in Gambrills.

"She is an amazing spirit, and there is a science to this but we also know that what will be will be," Mr. Diamond said. "If our story of perseverance and hope can help anyone who's facing a daunting situation, we're glad."