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Cancer Claims 11-Year-Old Tracy Girl Who Inspired Foundation: Devastating Illness Spurred Family to Reach Out to Others

Posted on: Thursday, 26 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By Rick Brewer, The Record, Stockton, Calif.

Jan. 26--TRACY - The 11-year-old girl after whom the Kiona Foundation was named passed away Tuesday afternoon in an Oakland hospital.

Kiona Jenkins died from a heart attack at Oakland Children's Hospital, almost eight months after undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. The foundation, created by Kiona's mother, Lakisha Jenkins, wanted to raise money to help cancer survivors, who are saddled with massive health-care bills, pay for necessities like food and rent.

Jenkins said in recent days, the girl's brain stem failed to regulate her body temperature, heart rate and other vital organ functions. Kiona, who never regained consciousness after the June 1 surgery, suffered a heart attack at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Doctors resuscitated her at that time but were unable to reverse a second attack that came a few minutes later, Lakisha Jenkins said.

"She fought to the very, very end," Kiona's mother said. "I remember her saying to me as she was being led to surgery, 'I'm going to beat this.' "

With the help of a small group of volunteers, Lakisha Jenkins started the Kiona Foundation in 2003, shortly after her daughter, then 8, was diagnosed with the tumor. Despite having medical insurance, the costs of chemotherapy, medical procedures and prescriptions put the Jenkins family in serious debt, which Tracy community members helped to pay through fund-raisers and private donations.

Through that process, Jenkins said she realized few organizations lent financial assistance to cancer survivors. That led her to start the foundation.

The Kiona Foundation had an ambitious goal to raise $100,000 but has struggled to raise money. It did, however, provide a car for one local family to help get their young son with leukemia get to and from chemotherapy appointments in San Francisco.

In addition to her mother, Kiona is survived by father, Aaron Jenkins, brother, Aaron Jenkins II, sisters Jordalin and Iliana Jenkins, and four grandparents. Donations to help pay funeral expenses can be made to an account in Kiona's name at the Tracy Federal Credit Union. The Kiona Foundation's Web site, www.kionafoundation.org, posted the girl's passing and reported that organization is in "nonoperational status" until further notice.

Services are pending.

Contact reporter Rick Brewer at (209) 833-1141 or rbrewer@recordnet.com

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Record, Stockton, Calif.

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Source: The Record

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