Bergen Road Race 5km

Jenny Kuzma was 4 years old when she was diagnosed with CML at a regular pediatric
visit. (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia usually presents in adulthood and has no
known cure except for a successful bone marrow transplant.) Jenny was treated as an
outpatient at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo with oral chemotherapy for the next 8
years. This young girl was able to lead a somewhat normal life of an elementary age
student except for the weekly blood tests and frequent bone marrow aspirations.
In the summer of 1989 it was decided that since her remission times were becoming
fewer and shorter, the only option left was an experimental bone marrow transplant. She
and her mother went to Sloan – Kettering Hospital in NYC for the procedure. It required
a 4month stay due to complications and infections. Jenny returned home in December
in time for Christmas. She returned to school part time as a 7th grader at Byron-Bergen
Middle School.

In May 1990, spots were discovered on her lungs and she again was hospitalized. The
bone marrow transplant had not been successful and she died at 13 in June 1990. A
5k race has been held in her honor; the proceeds of which go to a scholarship given to
an 8th grade student at Byron-Bergen who fulfills the requirements of the reward. This
year portion of the proceeds will be divided between the scholarship & Camp Good Days
and Special Times.