On Oct. 4, Garrett underwent a bone marrow transplant at Children’s Mercy Hospital and on Nov. 6 was able to return to his Tonganoxie home. At that time, his prognosis was good.

But at a routine medical checkup on Dec. 5, a platelet count revealed that Garrett still had leukemia.

“It’s unheard of for it to come back this quickly,” Brian Daily said. “He wasn’t having any symptoms.”

Doctors told Brian and Megan Daily on Dec. 10 that Garrett had two weeks to live.

But now the outlook is better, and Tuesday afternoon Brian Daily said his son would be able to come home for the Christmas holidays.

After that, Garrett will undergo weekly spinal taps or bone marrow taps.

Daily said Garrett’s physicians believe his body is trying to adapt to the bone marrow transplant. However, Garrett’s antirejection drugs have been reduced in the hope that his new bone marrow can fight the leukemia.

Daily said the leukemia right now appears to be under control. After Garrett is 1 year old, his physicians will likely try a different means of treatment to further help keep the leukemia at bay.

A donation bucket to help off-set the family’s costs is available at City Hall, 321 Delaware.

Health department offering flu shots

It’s not too late receive flu or pneumonia vaccines.

The Leavenworth County Health Department is providing the vaccines any weekday, except Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The health department is in Suite 101 at 500 Eisenhower Rd. in Leavenworth.

The cost is $15 for the flu vaccine and $20 for the pneumonia vaccine. Payment may be made by cash, check, Medicare/Supplemental Insurance or Medicaid, which also requires a doctor’s note.

For additional information, call (913) 250-2000.

Correction

A story in last week’s edition of The Mirror about Tonganoxie second-grade teacher Gail Kiefer receiving her National Board Certification contained incomplete information. Stacey Moore, a former third grade teacher at Tonganoxie Elementary School, was the first Tonganoxie teacher to receive the national certification. She earned it in 1999.

Juvenile to face charges in county

A Tonganoxie juvenile, detained in Maricopa County, Mesa, Ariz., has been charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, said Tonganoxie police Sgt. John Putthoff.

Putthoff said the 17-year-old male will be charged in Leavenworth County after he is released in Arizona.

Deborah Owens, of the Leavenworth County attorney’s office, said the youth and his parents were supposed to have made an appearance in juvenile court in Leavenworth County on Tuesday, but she said Tuesday morning that she believed the juvenile was still in custody in Arizona.

The charges stem from a Nov. 20 theft in Tonganoxie of a 1995 Chevrolet 4X4 truck. The theft occurred during the week of Nov. 19 when six vehicles were stolen in Tonganoxie. The other five vehicles were located that week in and around Tonganoxie.

Tonganoxie student receives JCCC award

Jordan D. Smith, Tonganoxie, has received the Outstanding Student Award for the fall 2001 semester at Johnson County Community College.

Smith, who received a $400 cash award, was selected for his academic achievement and his service to the college and the community.

Students nominated to military academies

U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has nominated several area students for appointments to U.S. service academies.

Once nominated, the students must meet admission requirements of each academy. The academies will make the final decision on who will receive an appointment for admission. Because of the limited number of openings at each academy, not every nominee will receive an appointment.

Area students who have been nominated:

From Leavenworth: Bethany Chadderdon, West Point Academy, and Richard Bazemore, U.S. Naval Academy.

From Lansing: Philip Hickson, West Point Academy.

Military news

Army National Guard Pvt. Maria R. Dennis has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Dennis is the daughter of Anna Herzog, Lansing, and Phil Dennis, Leavenworth. In 2001, he graduated from Lansing High School.

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Air Force Airman Brent S. Mahaffey has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Bill Mahaffey, Aurora, Colo., and Terry Evans, Tonganoxie. Mahaffey is a 2001 graduate of Grandview High School, Aurora.