Benefit in Somers to Aid Enfield Teen With Liver Cancer

A 14-year-old boy from Enfield who received a liver transplant in 2010 has had a recurrence of cancer in his new liver.

Jacob Carlander has just finished his fourth round of chemotherapy at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center in Hartford. On July 26, he and his family will travel to Boston Children's Hospital to undergo an evaluation with his entire transplant team.

"Hopefully on that day, he'll be put back on the transplant list," his mother, AnnKera Carlander, said Friday.

Jacob's story began in late May of 2010, when the multi-sport standout began feeling ill. After a series of tests, he was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that usually occurs in infants and children less than four years old.

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Jacob began chemotherapy treatments in June 2010, and on Sept. 16 of that year, he returned to Boston to have a liver transplant.

Following the 14-hour procedure, Jacob recovered remarkably well. He began playing basketball that winter, and baseball in the spring.

"The first year was just routine checkups, scanning and testing," AnnKera said.

This past December, doctors discovered something out of the ordinary in Jacob's lung, and feared it may be a tumor. "It was removed, and as the week went on, it turned out to be nothing," AnnKera said.

Some of Jacob's levels continued to rise, his mother said, and in April, a scan revealed lesions on his liver. A biopsy showed they were cancerous.

He began grueling chemotherapy treatments again that month, but AnnKera said he is "not symptomatic" from the cancer.

"He's feeling pretty good," she said. "He's swimming, riding his bike, playing baseball and basketball, like an everyday normal boy should."

To help offset Jacob's staggering medical bills, a fundraiser has been planned for Sunday, Aug. 5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the pavilion in Somers.

A pasta dinner will be served, and pickup baseball games will be held for a $5 donation per player. There will be raffle prizes and a 50/50 drawing.

Tickets to the benefit are $20 per person, or $50 per family (two adults and up to three children under 18).

For more information or to order tickets, contact Bill at 860-849-1272.