After a Year Battling Cancer, Two Year Old Tyler Cordle Is A Christmas Miracle

Tyler Cordle’s mom used to say if there was one thing she feared, it was something happening to her son. She always prayed to keep him safe and healthy.

So when she and her husband were told on Dec. 1 last year that their then 13- month-old boy had neuroblastoma stage 4 cancer and only had a 30 percent chance of survival, her world fell apart. But even doctors cannot predict miracles.

Today, watching 2-year-old Tyler smile and laugh while playing with his toys, one would never suspect the battle this little boy has fought during the last year.

Shortly before he was diagnosed, it was clear Tyler was experiencing pain in his legs and hips. He screamed when his parents raised his legs to change his diaper, and he could no longer pull himself up on the furniture. His parents took him to the doctor and were told it could be a virus from a recent cold that had settled in his joints.

But Tyler did not improve, so they took X-rays. What they found set this young family’s world into a tailspin. Two spots were found on his leg, and the family was sent immediately to Spokane, where Tyler underwent a complete body scan. There were six tumors in all – two on his skull, one on his lung, two on his leg, and the primary spot on his right kidney. The cancer was also in his bone marrow.

“I completely shut down,” said Tyler’s mom.

But with the support of family, friends and a community of people they did not even know, the Cordle family saw Tyler through a year of seven chemotherapy treatments, 12 rounds of radiation, more than 40 blood and platelet transfusions and a stem cell transplant using his own harvested cells. And then there were five rounds, each round lasting five days, of antibody therapy – something that was recently approved as standard protocol for treating Tyler’s type of cancer.

“That was a huge piece of the puzzle,” said Tyler’s mom. “It increased his chance (of survival) by 20 percent.”

It was after the second round of chemotherapy that the family began to see signs of their prayers being answered.

Doctors ordered scans to see if and how well Tyler had responded to the first two rounds of chemotherapy.

“The doctor said to not expect much improvement because of how aggressive the cancer was,” said Tyler’s mom.

Thankfully, they were wrong. Five of the six tumors were gone and the remaining tumor had shrunk to half the size. And the cancer was no longer found in the bone marrow.

“There’s no way to explain it other than it was a miracle,” said Tyler’s mom.

But because the cancer could still be lurking in his cells, the doctors continued with the treatment plan and in March were able to remove the main tumor – detaching it from the kidney and shaving part of the liver to which it had attached.

Although he was delayed in some areas – not walking until he was 21 months old and experiencing high-pitch hearing loss due to the treatments – today Tyler gives no indication that he is anything but a happy, healthy 2-year-old.

“It is hard to say if he is slower because of the cancer or it could just be him,” said Tyler’s mom.

Just this week, Tyler finished his last treatment, certainly a cause for celebration.

But the Cordle family could not have gotten through this year without the help of their families, the community and, for Tyler, his little stuffed puppy.

“It’s his best friend,” said his mom, explaining that through the cancer treatments her son amazed everyone with his attitude.

“In Seattle he was just able to lay in the bed with no energy, and yet he would still blow the nurses kisses and give them high fives. “He’s always happy.”

The family is grateful that Tyler will most likely not remember anything of what he has endured in the past year. And with treatment over, goals for Tyler now include gaining weight and strengthening his immune system.

Now in remission, Tyler’s chances of survival are at 65 percent. But the family is betting on 100 percent.

“We are all choosing to think he’ll be OK,” said his mom as she scooped him onto her lap.

Sandpoint Foster Family Fights For Rights, Answers

During the Christmas season, messages of hope echo through churches, favorite Christmas movies and in the hearts of all who celebrate the season. And hope is exactly what people in Sandpoint are holding onto right now. For the last few months there has been a sadness hanging over this small community.

Grieving the loss of one of its youngest members, residents have come together to support a 2-year-old boy’s foster family during a time of anguish and heartbreak. Joey (not his real name) did not die. Instead he was taken by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and placed with a family in Kootenai County – a family with whom Joey had never lived but who the agency named as Joey’s adoptive family.

Joey came to live with Anna and Lacey Blackford when he was nine days old. Over the next 23 months, he captured the hearts of his new family and all with whom he came in contact. But in the matter of a few hours he was torn from their arms, leaving a family and community devastated.

Anna and Lacey Blackford were in shock. After all, during the court hearing which terminated the parental rights of the birth parents, the Blackfords were asked if they intended to adopt Joey and they confirmed what everyone already knew – Joey was part of their family and they had every intention of making that permanent.

So when a selection committee made up of Health and Welfare employees awarded custody to a foster family in Post Falls, the Blackfords were stunned.

“We had plans with our caseworker to meet for our celebration,” said Anna Blackford. “But instead got a call from her telling us that they decided on a different family. She told me she couldn’t even come over because she couldn’t face our family. She was devastated because she was sure he would be with us.”

The Blackfords contacted their attorney to see what their rights were. But Idaho does not have a Foster Parent Bill of Rights.

“There was nothing said about us not being good parents,” said Anna. “In fact we were told (by Health and Welfare) that we were great parents to him.”

But when word got out that they were contesting the placement, they received a call from Health and Welfare and were told that instead of turning Joey over in 30 days, they were picking Joey up within a few hours.

Anna pleaded successfully to be allowed to take Joey to Coeur d’Alene to meet the adoptive family. But she only had three hours in which to do it and she was told she could not bring her kids.

“We took him (Joey) to the CdA office, met the other family, told them everything we could think of in an hour, put him in their car and walked away while he was crying and screaming for us. This was absolutely the hardest thing we have ever had to do,” said Anna.

And although they were promised that they would receive updates on Joey and that their children would be able to see Joey to say their goodbyes, the department has not come through on those promises.

Told they were unable to appeal the decision, the Blackfords chose to appeal to the court system to see if it would overrule the committee and award permanent placement to the Blackfords. But at the hearing on Dec. 7, Judge Debra Heise ruled that the Blackfords did not have legal standing to contest the decision of Idaho Health and Welfare.

“Foster parents in Idaho have no rights to ‘their’ children. They have no rights to adopt, no rights to question what is in their best interest and no rights to fight for what is right,” writes Anna Blackford on the Save Joey Facebook page which has over 800 followers.

The Blackfords’ attorney filed an appeal under the Idaho Administrative Procedures Act on Nov. 24. The Department of Health and Welfare has 30 days to respond.

“Thirty days would be Christmas Eve,” said Anna.

Anna said that since word of their loss has spread, her phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from fellow foster parents eager to share their stories and show their appreciation for standing up to the system. Anna says people are not always willing to fight out of fear of losing their foster care license or fear of losing the children who are currently placed in their homes.

Determined to make sure this never happens to another family, Anna and Lacey Blackford have had meetings with state Sen. Shawn Keough exploring what they can do to change the laws in Idaho.

“It isn’t just us,” said Anna. “It’s way bigger than that. I cannot do it alone.”

But even if the most recent appeal does not succeed, the Blackfords are not done fighting.

“We will continue our fight to bring Joey home,” said Anna.

And while they await a response from the Department of Health and Welfare regarding their latest request, perhaps the Blackfords can take comfort from one of the posts on the Save Joey Facebook page.

“This fight over one baby is in the same month that we celebrate the birth of another baby. The angels that watched over one are watching over the other.”

How to help:

A bank account has been set up at Panhandle State Bank to help the Blackfords with their legal expenses. To donate, visit any Panhandle State Bank and tell them you want to donate to the Blackford family.

In addition to making donations to Panhandle State Bank, you can also donate through PayPal. Please direct all payments through PayPal to the following e-mail account: savejoey @gmail.com

With Help from Junior Achievement Volunteer Kendon Perry, Sagle Sixth Grade Students Open New Business

Sandpoint businessman Kendon Perry once had an employee tell him that he believed everyone should own their own business at least once.

Now Perry is helping Liz Gollen’s sixth-grade students at Sagle Elementary School get a taste of business ownership.

Perry visits the classroom once a week as a volunteer teacher for Junior Achievement, an international nonprofit group that sends adults into the classroom to teach children about how to run a business.

Perry, an agent for Farm Bureau Financial Services, teaches the concepts that are fundamental to the mission of Junior Achievement – work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

“It’s important for kids in our society to know how to manage a household as well as how to manage a business,” said Perry. “Free enterprise and entrepreneurship are the backbone of our community.”

The Junior Achievement program includes 9.3 million students in 123 countries. A hands-on curriculum, Junior Achievement brings together the business community, educators and volunteers to teach students the skills necessary to succeed in a global economy.

This fall, Perry has worked with the students laying the groundwork for the opening of their business – Koffee Kidz. The students launched their business on Dec. 15 and will hold their official grand opening in January. The business requires that they arrive early, make coffee, set up their work stations and sell coffee to the parents who are dropping their children off.

In addition to Perry, a representative from local coffee company, Evans Brothers, spoke to the class on how to run a coffee business. Evans Brothers also is the supplier of the coffee for the class project. The kids buy cups, filters, creamers and sugar from Insight Distributing.

“Evans Brothers Coffee and Insight Distributing have been very supportive and helpful,” Perry said.

One recent day, Perry, an enthusiastic parent volunteer, began teaching his weekly class by checking in with each of the many departments in the school-run business – marketing, human resources, purchasing, accounting and production.

“What was on your list from the other day?” he asks the advertising department, emphasizing the need to be prepared because opening day is less than a week away.

When addressing the purchasing department, Perry makes sure the students realize their responsibilities include more than ordering and receiving supplies. “Did you count it to make sure that everything you ordered was received?” asks Perry.

He talks to them about purchasing terms and extending credit, making sure the students understand when the bill is due.

The next time this group comes together will be their first day of sales. Perry wants the kids to think about any potential problems that may arise. Where will they get the water from? Will they rent one hot pot or two?

The kids are concerned about reaching those parents who may not drop their children off in front of the school. It is then Perry introduces the concept of business referrals.

“Your reputation will start to grow,” he tells the students.

After the class is done meeting with Perry, they break off into their separate groups, eager to finalize their projects before opening day.

Perry’s wife, Judy Perry, helps the students in the accounting department. She walks them through the process of using QuickBooks accounting software and explains how to receive an item and generate the payments.

“We do pretty much everything,” Judy Perry said. “Income, expenses and show them about loans. We try to make it as real as possible.”

While most students are being introduced to concepts for the first time, the Perry’s son, Kyle, who is one of the students in the class, said he is already familiar with a lot of what is being taught.

“I already knew a lot of stuff like loans and interest,” he said. “I’ve run a business before. I have my own lawn mowing business.”

All of the students know their tasks and realize the importance each role plays in the bigger picture.

“We had to make the order forms and the checklist and laminate them,” said Matthew Curtiss, who is in the human resources group.

Another student, Sara Gillmer, said the program has taught her how to be a better business person. Her classmate Bailey Potter agrees.

“We have learned to get to know our customers and our products and how to be successful,” said Bailey.

Another student, Caroline Suppiger, eager to help out in any way possible, said she is participating in three of the departments – human resources, production and bookkeeping.

“We’ve learned about businesses and how they are set up,” she said, adding that Perry taught some of the students Junior Achievement in fifth grade but they did not take it as far as operating an actual business. “This year is a lot more hands on.”

Gollen says her students are doing a great job and credits Perry’s enthusiasm with motivating the kids. “Mr. Perry has really taken this project to the next level,” said Gollen.

Sandpoint Charter School Expansion Due to Open In March

Walk through the halls of Sandpoint Charter School and you will find most classrooms empty. It’s not because of low enrollment but because the students flock to the computer labs to work on some of the many projects designed to encourage creativity.

While Sandpoint Charter School is a public school, its teaching style differs from a traditional school.

A hands-on, project-based philosophy integrates several of the subjects students study into a project that will help them learn not just one subject but many, at the same time encouraging independent research.

“The role of the teachers is to facilitate the projects,” said Sandpoint Charter School Principal Alan Millar.

Until this year the school only offered grades six through eight.

“We had parents coming in and asking what their options are for high school,” said Millar, who said research shows that once children reach high school years they generally prefer to stay in the setting where they have been.

When it was clear that there was a high demand for the charter school to add higher grades, a group of five teachers and four community members researched options and presented their plan to extend the school to grades nine through 12 to the Lake Pend Oreille School Board.

“The district voted unanimously,” said Millar.

This fall the school opened to 46 students in ninth and 10th grade and will add an 11th grade next year. But it was also important that the older students had their own facility.

Earlier this fall, the district broke ground on a 20,000-square-foot building expected to be completed in March. The building will eventually house up to 200 high school students. It is designed with small classrooms centered around a large common area where up to 75 students will be able to work on their projects on school-provided laptops.

The cost of the building is approximately $1.5 million, 75 percent financed by a loan from USDA Rural Development agency and the other portion financed by a loan from Mountain West Bank.

“The charter schools do not have access to bonds,” Millar said. “Ninety-five percent of our funding is from state money that follows the child.”

Unlike the lower grades in the Sandpoint Charter School, grades nine and 10 have gone paperless. The school provides each student with a mini netbook computer.

“Kids are literally walking down the hall typing,” said Millar, who adds that the education they are providing at the charter school is actually a hybrid of online education with a personal touch.

Freshman Kaitlin Wallace said going to a small high school like the Sandpoint Charter School gives her the advantage of more one-on-one time with her instructors, and she prefers the small-school setting to that of the large traditional public high school.

Teacher Rich Kallage was instrumental in researching the requirements for Sandpoint Charter High School and helped develop graduation requirements.

“It’s an academically challenging environment,” said Kallage, adding that students who attend a charter school develop the ability to take on ambiguous projects and have more initiative when it comes to starting and completing projects – something that will serve them well in postsecondary education.

Millar and Kallage agree that an important aspect of their new high school will be to provide postsecondary guidance, including administering aptitude tests and counseling students about their options after high school.

“Students have a massive amount of information they have to navigate through,” said Millard.

Other philosophies of the Sandpoint Charter School are community involvement and environmental consciousness. While schools nationwide took part in a walk-to-school day in early October, those at Sandpoint Charter School did not stop there. They are taking part in something they call the Greener Mile Project. It is a competition to see which group – teachers and staff versus the classes – can bike or walk to school the most in a given trimester. So far the leading class has biked or walked 244 miles.

All involved with bringing the new high school from vision to reality are enthusiastic about the opportunities it will provide.

“Any change takes a small group of dedicated people,” said Millar.

Bulldog Fans Span Generations

As soon as the Sandpoint High School football team qualified for the state championship last month, Barb Hecker went into action.

The mother of senior running back Cody Hecker organized a charter bus to bring as many fans as possible to the championship game at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.

“I went on one (charter bus) in 2003 to Pocatello for a playoff game,” Hecker said. “It was a lot of fun and good bonding for parents and community supporters.”

When word got out that Hecker was organizing a bus for fans, her phone rang off the hook.

“I had people calling and telling me their stories of when they played for the Bulldogs years ago or how they have attended the games for years,” Hecker said. “People were so glad to have a bus and not have to drive late at night. I also think that the community was so excited and got wrapped up with this team. There were so many great athletes and no superstars. They all worked together as a team.”

Sandpoint may have lost the game, but the Bulldogs won the hearts of many football fans.

Ray Belote, 72, is a Sandpoint resident who has attended almost all the home games over the last 40 years.

“I’ve gone to some of the away games too,” said Belote, who graduated from Sandpoint High School in 1955 and played on the football team.

He and three friends drove to Pocatello in 2003 – the last time the Sandpoint Bulldogs played for (and lost) the championship. He was in Boise in 1997 when the Bulldogs last won the state championship.

Watching the kids play brings back memories of when he was a player.

“We had a pretty good winning record (when he was in high school),” said Belote, who also attends many of the high school basketball games. “I played end at that time, which I guess is wide receiver now.”

Belote said he is always amazed at how much bigger and faster the players are now in comparison to when he was playing. “And smarter,” he adds.

Bob and Wanda Gooby also took advantage of the charter bus. Bob Gooby is a 1953 graduate of Sandpoint High and has attended basketball and volleyball games throughout the years.

“We are interested in the team and it was a nice opportunity to go and watch them,” said Bob Gooby. “It was a nice little adventure.”

The Goobys enjoy going to the games and following the kids, some of whom they know and others they don’t.

“There are two things that take place (when you go to the games),” said Bob Gooby. “First you see the kids and watch them grow up and second we always see a group of people who we’ve known for a long time and we visit with them.”

“We just love the kids,” said Wanda Gooby.

Ski Schweitzer for $10 Friday, December 11th With Proceeds Going to Community Cancer Services

On Friday, Schweitzer Mountain Resort will host the fourth-annual Day for Heather, offering $10 lift tickets all day for all ages and a chance to ski what Powder Magazine calls the best park in the Pacific Northwest.

The event is named in memory of Heather Gibson, a member of the Sandpoint community who did much to change the face of cancer in North Idaho before she died from the disease in August 2006.

“I knew Heather as a mother and a friend,” said Sandpoint resident Steve Meyer. “She loved skiing and made some of her best friends up at Schweitzer. I feel fortunate that I had more than a few opportunities to take out a fresh powder field with Heather, Greg (Heather’s husband) and her buddies.”

Because Heather’s husband was a member of the ski patrol, those who worked at Schweitzer and those who skied with Heather went through Heather’s eight-year cancer journey with her. It is because of their desire to carry on her mission to support cancer patients in this North Idaho community that Schweitzer Mountain has continually offered all the proceeds from a Day for Heather to Community Cancer Services. That cancer resource and information center was founded by Gibson and has served Bonner and Boundary counties since 2003. Prior to Gibson’s death, the board of directors designated Community Cancer Services as Heather’s House.

“This gift that Schweitzer gives each year to the cancer patients in this community amazes me,” said Stefanie Nostdahl, board president for Community Cancer Services. “We have literally hundreds of clients who are coming to us for help. When cancer hits, it comes with a lot of other issues and because of Schweitzer and other donors we are able to help at a very difficult time in people’s lives.”

Since opening, Community Cancer Services has grown quickly and now offers support groups for men, women, caregivers and children in addition to financial assistance to help defray the cost of transportation, medical bills, prescriptions and utility payments.

There also are resources such as a lending library, wigs and hats for people who lose their hair from treatments, and the Look Good Feel Better Program, which is run in conjunction with the American Cancer Society. A part-time social worker is on staff to assist with the emotional needs of the clients and their families.

Because all services are offered free to the clients, support from the community is essential.

To kick off the Day for Heather, Steve Meyer and his wife Julie are hosting a Sip ’n Shop at their Pend d’Oreille Winery on Thursday. That evening, Pend d’Oreille Winery will donate a portion of its profits to Community Cancer Services.


“We hope our event turns out to be a place where people can come together to learn about CCS, Heather’s House and to raise a glass in celebration of Heather’s life,” said Meyer, who added that Heather used to stop by the winery frequently on her way home just to check in with her friends. “Her visits always brought a ray of light and hope into the winery tasting room, and I will always remember those moments with love and gratitude.”



Thursday: Wine tasting and holiday shopping with a portion of the profits donated to Community Cancer Services, home of Heather’s House, at Pend d’Oreille Winery, 220 Cedar St., in Sandpoint.

Friday: Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort hosts a Day for Heather with $10 lift tickets all day, all ages. To learn more about the Day for Heather, go to www.schweitzer.com (http://www.schweitzer.com) .

To donate: Tax deductibles donation may be sent to Community Cancer Services, 1215 Michigan St., Suite B, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce to Move to Downtown Sandpoint

The Sand Creek Byway has been a hotly contested issue in Sandpoint for several years, dividing business owners and residents who eagerly shared their arguments either for or against a highway bypass. But now that the construction of the byway is well under way, many on both sides of the issue are concerned that visitors may not take the time to explore Sandpoint’s quaint and scenic downtown.

“We are all looking forward to the completion of the byway,” said Marsha Ogilvie, who received the most votes in November for one four-year seat on the Sandpoint City Council. “Until then we can be proactive and plan for the future. I think the possibilities are exciting for the downtown corridor. The City Council needs to aggressively pursue the continued revitalization of downtown. The downtown is the life blood of our community.”

One change that’s sure to help keep visitors coming downtown is the much anticipated move later this month of the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce, which will relocate from its current location on Highway 2 to the former Panhandle State Bank building.

“Visitors to our area often go to the chamber first for information, and bringing these visitors into the downtown core will bring their potential business as well,” said newly elected council member Jamie Davis. “In addition, the chamber’s function as a business network will pull potential new businesses into the downtown area.”

Amy Little, the chamber’s executive director, said the move was precipitated by financial concerns as well as a need to connect better with the community.

“The building we are in currently is over 30 years old and has a lot of repair and maintenance issues. We also basically run a rest stop for the city, county and state with no financial support from them to offset the costs of not only building maintenance but the maintenance of our grounds,” said Little, who adds that it would cost $10,000 just to repair the roof of the current chamber and visitor’s center. “More importantly, we also had been thinking of looking at ways to combine forces and facilitate better communication with other nonprofits. The (new) location offers us a chance to do that.”

Justin Schuck, another newly elected City Council member, is excited about the opportunities for growth that the chamber move will bring.

“Having the location downtown will surely help tourists access pertinent information while visiting the downtown core,” said Schuck, who adds that the new location will help promote relationships among downtown merchants, the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association and the Chamber of Commerce. “The new location is much more amenable for meetings, gatherings, and a hub for co-sponsored events.”

Little said many people assume – incorrectly – that the Chamber of Commerce and the visitor’s center are the same entity.

“The two entities are separate but complementary to one another,” she said. Unlike the chamber, the visitors’ center operates at a deficit each year, forcing the chamber’s budget to cover the shortfall.

“We (provide financial support) because the visitor’s center helps us further our mission to support, develop and promote the business community of the greater Sandpoint area,” Little said.