Alumni in need — Auction continues through July 5
Aaron Fullerton and his fiance Nicole — courtesy photo
The Fullerton family is hoping the community can come together to help their family in a time of need after Aaron Fullerton, Newcastle High School alumnus of the class of 2019, was recently diagnosed with ocular melanoma.
The cancer is a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer.
“He will soon be traveling to the Mayo Clinic for specialized treatment, where he is expected to stay for an extended period,” information provided to the News Letter Journal says.
To help ease the financial burden of travel, lodging, meals and lost wages, a silent auction has been organized. It will run through July 5. Bidding will close at 3 p.m.
Anyone wishing to bid on the items can visit either Isabella’s or the Newcastle Country Club to bid.
“Each of these locations will feature different items, so be sure to visit both to see everything up for bid,” the information says.
Prospective bidders should head on out to the Newcastle Country Club before July 5. The items will still be on display onn July 4 when the country club will be the site of the 9th annual Newcastle Booster Club Golf Tournament.
It is hoped that reunion attendees will bid when they go to the course to see old classmates and friends, watch some golf. Celebrants can also bid on an item or two to help out a fellow Dogie when they are at downtown events on Main Street by stopping at Isabella’s.
More about ocular melanoma
Source: The Mayo Clinic
Ocular melanoma is a type of eye cancer that begins in the cells in the eye that make melanin, according to the Mayo Clinic website. Other names include eye melanoma, intraocular melanoma and uveal melanoma.
“Most eye melanomas form in parts of the eye you can't see when looking in a mirror. That makes eye melanoma hard to notice,” the website says. “And eye melanoma typically doesn't cause symptoms at first.”
According to the website, ocular melanoma can be treated.
“Treatment for small eye melanomas may not cause vision problems,” the website says. “But treatment for large eye melanoma typically leads to some vision loss.”
Risk factors for ocular melanoma include light eye color, being white, age, certain inherited skin conditions, certain genetic changes and exposure to ultraviolet light.
The website says that the cause of ocular melanoma is not clear. It notes that “eye melanoma happens when cells in the eye develop changes in their DNA.”