11-Year-Old Starts 'Cans For Cancer' To Help Others
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
CLAYPOOL – While battling colon cancer, Deloris Rose, 71, Claypool, suffered the unexpected losses of her sister and aunt in December. A gesture by 11-year-old Nicole Eppelmann not only lifted Rose out of her depression, it also gave her hope. “She gave me my faith back in humanity,” Rose said. “Most kids her age would spend the money on themselves. Here she was boosting others up. I thought she deserved someone to tell her story.” Nicole, a Mentone Elementary School fifth-grader, started “Cans for Cancer” in spring 2012 when her friend’s dad had cancer. She wanted to help him with gas, medical bills and whatever else she could so she started collecting aluminum cans. Once she has about five large bags full of smashed cans, she takes them to Lewis Salvage. The money she earns from recycling the cans is then given to someone suffering from cancer. So far, Nicole said she’s only been able to help her friend’s dad and Rose. Nicole didn’t know Rose before taking her a card and money she raised from collecting cans. Her mom’s friend, Michelle, was a niece of Rose’s. “Michelle knew we were doing ‘Cans for Cancer.’ She gave us Deloris’ name. We had no idea all this was happening with Deloris when we came over,” Dot Eppelmann, Nicole’s mother, said. On Dec. 8, Rose’s sister went to the hospital for her heart, then was transferred to Lutheran Hospital Dec. 9. She was undergoing surgery when she went into a coma. It was decided the plug would be pulled on her on Dec. 13. “I was really, really down when I found out she was in a coma. I was really sick,” Rose said. Meanwhile, on Dec. 11, Rose’s aunt passed away, but Rose didn’t find out until the next day. “At that point I was extremely depressed because they decided to pull the plug on my sister,” Rose recalled. “But then here comes a knock at my back door. It was Nicole and Dot. She had a get-well card for me.” Dot said Nicole came up with “Cans for Cancer” herself. Nicole said she started it “Just to help people out.” She said she feels good helping others and wants to keep doing it as long as she can. Nicole collects the cans from her family, friends and after-school parties. Realizing that recycling aluminum cans wasn’t raising enough money fast enough, Nicole started making scarves and selling them. “She’s trying to get to the point where she can help other people in the community,” Dot said. “That’s why she’s making scarves – to raise money a little faster.” For a beginner, Nicole said it takes three hours to make a scarf. “I’m not a beginner so it takes me an hour,” she stated. Rose had a PET Scan about a week ago. Wednesday at the Cancer Center, the doctor told her the cancer hadn’t spread everywhere, but there was one problem area. Today, she is going to a doctor in Goshen for a consultation to see if she needs more chemotherapy or surgery. Even though her older brother passed away 10 years ago at 63 from the same type of colon cancer, she remains upbeat. “I was encouraged by the good report I got yesterday,” Rose stated. Anyone who wants to donate empty cans for “Cans for Cancer” may call 574-328-0469.
