Charity For Children, Inc.

Nina M. Albino
Executive Director
5968 Rt. 31
Cicero, NY 13039
315-701-1162
315-436-4822

EuniqueEunique’s story

Corcoran High School student Eunique Darby fought a rare form of Leukemia for years, but this week, she finally lost her battle to the disease. 15 year old Darby was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a Cancer that affects the white blood cells, when she was only nine years old.
Throughout her long search for a donor, the teen held drives encouraging people to join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Her own search was often disappointing. A donor was found in May, but complications cancelled the surgery. Finally in August, a perfect match was found and she spent the next several months recovering. However, complications from Chemotherapy and Radiation proved to be too much. She died Monday. "I'm just glad she's not suffering anymore," said Eunique's aunt Debrah Frett. "She doesn't have to go to the doctors, she doesn't have to be poked. Now she can be a teenager. Even though she's in heaven, she can live a teenage life."

Aside from the frequent phone calls and covered dishes brought to their home, there's one thing that's helping Eunique's family get through this difficult time. That's knowing they're not alone. "Through all the treatments and doctors and hospitals, I kept her kind of sheltered, and to know that so many people in this community love her, it's beautiful," said Enid Darby, Eunique's mother. A wake will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Gospel Temple on Oakwood Avenue and funeral services will follow at noon on Saturday. Eunique's aunt is hoping to establish a scholarship in her name by the end of the year.

Our first experience with Charity for Children was in the fall of 2005. I was put in contact with them through the social worker at University Hospital after I had problems with paying my utilities. Eunique had just had her first relapse of ALL, my husband had just been incarcerated, and I was at my wits end. Nina came through and paid the utility bill and even to my surprise gave me money to give myself a nice Christmas present (although I spent it on the kids). Although I had always wanted to give back I was never financially able to.

Fast forward to 2008, Eunique had relapsed again. Now she needs a bone marrow transplant. I have taken an unpaid leave of absence to take care of her and the many doctors appointment and countless days in the hospital. Her transplant has to take place in Rochester, NY. Life takes a horrible turn, the original donor backs out, I thought that I had saved enough money to take care of us for the time that we would need to be out of town. Now with the donor backing out that means that I would have to be out of work a little longer, which means the funds have run out. I look to one person who may help me out. I am embarrassed because I never was able to give back, but I finally got up the nerve. One call to Nina and she remembered me. Without hesitation she has helped me out once again. Charity for Children along with Nina Albino have been a godsend for me. I don’t know what I would do without them.