Benefit for Bella, Bridger raises $25,000
Berl Tiskus
Saturday's benefit raised $25,000 for 4-year-old Bella Allred and her cousin Bridger Stupack.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Debbie Jones, grandmother of both Bella and Bridger, speaks with daughter Breanna vis iPad while Jessica Allred, left, hangs out with Jazmyn, Bella’s younger sister.
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Berl Tiskus
Phyllis Dresen examines a baby quilt at the silent auction at the Bella and Bridger fundraiser spaghetti feed. More than 180 items were donated for the silent auction.
Berl Tiskus
Brinley Jennison spoons in some spaghetti at the benefit.
Berl Tiskus
A crowd packs the room in support of Bella and Bridger.
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
POLSON — A little blonde girl losing her hair and a small boy with a big grin and a bald head were the reasons Polson Middle School cafeteria and part of the gym was wall to wall people on Oct. 5.
Bella Allred and Bridger Stupack, both 4 years old, are cousins, and both have been diagnosed with cancer. Bella was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Aug. 21, about a month and a half after Bridger had been diagnosed with Birkitt’s Lymphoma.
Bridger’s last test showed him cancer free so he’ll be able to go home on Oct. 22.
Bella’s mother Jessica Jones Allred said Bella had stomach pains so bad she could barely move so they first went to the doctor, who thought the child had stomach issues. Bella was supposed to come back in a month, and by that time she was having nosebleeds three times a day, bad headaches and didn’t want to run and play with the other kids. Dr. Harrop took x-rays, found Bella’s liver was three times it’s normal size, consulted with other doctors and then called Jessica and asked to come to their house.
“It was guaranteed the worst day of my life when (Dr. Harrop) came out,” Jessica said.
After diagnosis, Bella began treatment at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane. She’s now almost at the end of phase 2 and will begin the eight weeks of phase 3 soon. In phase 3, Bella will go to Spokane every 10 days. After phase 3, then Bella will need to be in Spokane for two months.
“If everything goes well, we’ll be there the week before Christmas,” Jessica said.
One of Bella’s latest bone marrow tests showed no leukemia risk. She’s started new medicine that will drop her immune system and make her have headaches. Jake Allred, Bella’s dad, has started taking her to the hot therapy pool at the Mission Valley Aquatic Center, and she enjoys the warm water.
Bella’s also starting to lose her blonde hair. After watching a movie called “Paul and the Dragon” about a little boy battling cancer, Bella told her mother that Paul gets sad when he loses his hair.
“But I’m not going to be sad,” Bella said, “cause I’m going to look good.”
That’s Bella, Jessica said, confident and not worried.
Both Jessica and her sister Breanna, Bridger’s mom, grew up in Polson and attended Polson schools as did Jake. Bridger’s dad’s name is Dalton Stupack, and he and Breanna and their family live in Pasco, Wash.
Ashley Woldstadt Atkinson, who graduated from Polson High School between Jessica and Breanna, wanted to do something to help when she heard about Bridger. Then came the news of Bella’s illness.
Friends Kelsey Noble and Kyla Jaeger contacted Atkinson, and the three young women decided to run with the idea of a spaghetti feed and silent auction.
After they got the Facebook page up, the event ballooned, with people flooding in saying “I want to help,” Atkinson said.
Community members donated 180 auction items, at least 500 people had spaghetti for dinner and the benefit raised approximately $25,000 for the two young families.
The money can be used for traveling, food, whatever the two children need.
