By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
Michaela Calaman was recently named The Cubby’s Hero of the Month for December, by shop owner Cindy Johnson. Johnson, whose shop is located in Caribou, sells second-hand clothing and household items gives a percentage of each sale to the Cubby Fund, which is used to assist families who have children living with illnesses. The Hero of the Month award is designated to individuals (and non-profit organizations) who go above and beyond the norm, helping others in their everyday life and to those who have met the challenge of illnesses, not giving up.
Aroostook Republican photo/Barbara Scott
Nine-year-old Michaela Calaman, held by her mother Keely, left received a special holiday check from Cindy Johnson, owner of The Cubby in Caribou. The $50 gift was presented to the Amity youth along with being named The Cubby’s Hero of the Month for December.
Johnson and her husband Chris named their second-hand shop The Cubby after their son Caleb, who is living with an incurable medical condition. The Cubby gives a percentage of its income to the surrounding communities via the Cubby Fund and the hero award as a way of giving back to the community and local residents who offer unselfish support and assistance to others.
Michaela, of Amity an independent 9-year-old was born with Krabbes disease, (leukodystrophy) a rare genetic disorder classified as terminal within two years. Individuals have a 50 percent chance of being a carrier of the affliction; 25 percent are born with the full blown disease while the other 25 percent will not inherit the illness. Treatment for this disease, if diagnosed immediately, is an unrelated cord blood transplant (stem-cell transplant).
Michaela was born 15 months after her brother Michael, who was also diagnosed with the same disorder. Michael was not able to receive the necessary stem-cell transplant due to other complications. He died at in March of 2009. “He was such a miracle, said Keely Calaman, mother to the children, “the two of them were inseparable and he always had a smile on his face. Michael taught me so much, I realized that my problems don’t matter — I feel sorry for those who never had a chance to meet him.”
When it was decided that Michaela would be treated with the stem-cell transplant, “her doctor told me that the chances didn’t look good,” said Ms. Calaman. “He told me about all the probable side effects that she would have to deal with, complicating her situation even more so,” she added.
Actually the results were much better than anticipated. Calaman said, “The doctor just stated, ‘she is an amazing child and I have to eat my words.” Although she does have some residual effects from the disease and the treatment, she suffered no cognitive problems.
Michaela is currently a third-grade student at the Mill Pond School in Hodgdon, where she enjoys lots of friends and is very “happy and headstrong,” according to her mother.
“Michaela has her Mom’s attitude, she is very independent,” added Julie ‘Gram’ Ritchie — “that why she is a survivor.” Michaela enjoys spending as much time as possible with her grandparents Julie and Phil Ritchie of Houlton.
The young lady, who thrills at all things, “Princess,” also received a special porcelain doll because, “She is a beautiful young lady and has the prettiest smile that I’ve ever seen,” said Cindy Johnson.
