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`Her Zest For Life Was Infectious'

SHELLI DORFMAN
Editorial Assistant

once asked her mother to get a sand-
mercial ends with Ms. Graham's
wich for a doctor who used his lunch
words, "We've had enough hurt
hour to visit her.
already, so next time you see a kid with
lexandra 'Alex" Graham
When Alex was too ill to go on Pro-
cancer
or even someone who looks a
did things that a typical 17-
ject Discovery's summer trip to Israel
little different, try a smile. We could
year-old would do: ride a
in 1998, she went to the airport to
use it."
bike, work in her mother's
send off her friends. David Techner,
Mrs. Graham said the last year was
store and go to concerts.
whose son participated in the trip,
wonderful
for Alex. "With all the
But the West Bloom-
remembered. "In the midst
hurt,
wonderful
things happened to
field High School senior
of all the kids and parents,
her.'' After meeting Bare Naked Ladies
did them while fighting
in the anticipation of the
band member Ed Robertson at a
osteogenic sarcoma, a rare
trip, there was Alex, just
music event, "the two kept in touch."
form of bone cancer first
being there, having a great
This week, the band contributed, in
detected in her knee.
time, yelling, 'I love you.'''
her memory proceeds from two of
Alexandra died of the dis-
He called the episode
their
concerts to the Princess Margaret
ease on Jan. 25 at William
"incredibly uplifting, one of
Cancer
Center in Toronto.
Beaumont Hospital in
the most remarkable things
Alex
volunteered at the Jewish Fed-
Royal Oak just over a year
I've ever seen."
eration of Metropolitan Detroit's Super
after she was diagnosed.
Goldman said, She
Sunday Phonathon. Even in her last
Tracie Goldman, 17,
wanted her life to go on as
month, she visited a nursing home
remembered her friend as
Alex Graham
usual as possible. She even
where, said Adat Shalom Rabbi Daniel
a fighter who, "even a
went bike riding with us on
Nevins, "she got our of her wheelchair
week before she died, was still talking
a tandem, with one leg. Wherever she
to
push residents in theirs."
about the remission parry she would
could be physically, she was." Mrs.
Ms. Graham loved children. She
have, where she would invite everyone
Graham said the place Alex usually
worked
ar a day care center and was a
she's ever known." Goldman added,
wanted to be was with her friends,
Jewish
Community
Center camp
Nothing was ever going to stop Alex."
who were plentiful, including those
counselor.
Enjoying
photography; Ms.
More than 1,000 family members,
from Hillel Day School and West
Graham continued to study it, along
friends, parents of friends, teachers and
Bloomfield High, the 1996 Teen Mis-
with other courses, even when her ill-
medical personnel filled Ira Kaufman
sion to Israel, her many years at Tama-
ness forced her to continue her class
Chapel in Southfield for her funeral
rack Camps, in B'nai B'rith Youth
work
at home.
Wednesday morning. Hundreds were
Organization and sports.
West
Bloomfield teacher Alison
teenagers, stopping to view pho-
Mrs. Graham said Alex's friends
Davis
said
Ms. Graham lOved to pho-
tographs of Ms. Graham that were dis-
stood by her, and "never left her side,
tograph children, and earned an 'A" in
played at the front of the chapel.
never left her our. They picked her up,
a class where she asked to be treated
Rabbi Efry Spectre of Ada" Shalom
took her in her wheelchair, used the
like
everyone else. Ms. Graham had
Synagogue called Alex "a kid who saw
elevators. They made her life normal in
hoped
to attend the Center for Cre-
her dreams and realized them in her
a very abnormal situation."
ative
Studies
in Detroit in the fall.
lifetime." Her friends thought of her as
Mrs. Graham said her daughter
Rabbi
Spectre
said she was not
"the ringleader, before and during her
"never considered herself handicapped"
praying
to
die,
but
to be healthy,.
illness. They wanted to be just like
after one leg was amputated last year.
Added
her
fatherWilliam,
'All she ever
Alex, referring to her as their hero."
"She would never let me park in hand-
wanted
was
for
everybody
to be
Ms. Graham was an athlete who,
icapped spaces."
happy.
Tracie Goldman said, "was always
On a Cedar Point trip with other
Mrs. Graham said those wanting to
good at everything and one of the best
teens from Beaumont Hospital's Rose
honor
Alex Graham's memory should
runners on the Maccabi Games girls
Cancer Center, her mother said, "She
"do
so
in the form of a good deed, a
track team." Joel Kashdan, the coach
was very concerned about adults star-
mitzvah,
like giving blood, feeding the
during her two summers as a Maccabi
ing at the group because of their bald
hungry
or
visiting a sick child —
Games distance runner, described how,
heads and wheelchairs."
something
that would have meant a lot
"during the time she was taking treat-
So, when the Make-A-Wish Foun-
to Alex."
ments," she joined him at Hillel Day
dation contacted her to fulfill a dream
Contributions can also be sent to
School. "She went up in front of all
of a trip or meeting a famous person,
William Beaumont Hospital Leukemia
those students, with her crutches and
Alex chose to make a television com-
Fund, Pediatric Hematology 3601 W
her wool hat on, with her Maccabi
mercial, "to alert people how to react
13 Mile Road, Royal Oak, MI 48073.
medals, to help get the kids involved in
to those with cancer." The completed
Alexandra Graham is survived by
the games." He said, "Her zest for life
video, which Alex was instrumental in
her parents, Susan and William Gra-
was infectious."
writing, was brought to her in the hos-
ham; brothers David and Robert;
"Alex never wanted anyone feeling
pital the day before she died.
grandparents Sid and Shirley Scheinker
sorry for her," said Tracie Goldman.
The 60-second spot shows the faces
and Mary Graham. She was the loving
She preferred to hear what her friends
of children with cancer, who say, "It's
granddaughter
of the late William Gra-
were doing than dwell on her own sit-
not our fault we got sick, so please
ham.
Interment
was at Adat Shalom
uation. Always thinking of others, she
don't stare. We're like you." The corn-
Memorial Park. 1-1

A

"

/

ROSE BALKANY, 80, of Brooklyn,
N.Y., died Jan. 22. She is survived by
her sons and daughter-in-law, Rabbi
Yehoshua and Sara Balkany of Brooklyn,
Dr. Louis Balkany of Toledo; grandchil-
dren, Chana Leah, Aaron, Devorah
Rachel, Nechama Dina, Adam, Hind
Levi Yitzchok, Rachel Beilah, Rosie,
Audel, Menachem Mendel, Esther, Eli-
sheva Shana, Bracha, Naomi, Shmuel;
great-grandchildren, Shmuel Schochet,
Shmuel Vishetzky, Zelda Minkowitz,
Shmuel Wagner, Rosie Shochet, Shmuel
Minkowitz, Sima Vishetzky, Rochel
Shana Schochet, Hinda Clara Balkan);
Chaya Mushka Wagner, Chana
Minkowitz, Batya Chaya Mushka Balka-
ny; Nechama Wagner, Basya Yaffe, Avi-
gy, Schochet, Yehoshua Yaffe, Men-
achem Mendel Balkany
Services and interment at Hebrew
Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements
by Hebrew Memorial Chapel.

BERNARD MYER BLASE, 72, of
Oak Park, died Jan. 20. He is survived
by his wife, Elizabeth Blase; sons and
daughters-in-law, Dr. Norman and
Becky Blase; of Northbrook, Ill., Dr.
Larry and Dr. Barbara Blase of West
Bloomfield, Alan and Beth Blase of
Southfield; daughter and son-in-law,
Susan and Dr. Craig Gordon of West
Bloomfield; grandchildren, Sari Gordon,
Scott Gordon, Brittany Gordon, Bryan
Blase, Shavna Blase, Jessyca Blase, Elijah
Blase.
Contributions may be made to
Women's American ORT, 31275 North-
western Hwy, Farmington Hills, MI
48334 or Jewish War Veterans, 16990
W 12 Mile Rd., Southfield, MI 48076.
Interment at Machpelah Cemetery. Ser-
vices and arrangements by Hebrew
Memorial Chapel.

MICHELLE GROSS BLATT, 47, for-
merly of Southfield, of Delray Beach,
Fla., died Jan 12. Mrs. Blatt is survived
by her husband, Alan Blatt; parents,
Peggy and Ralph Gross of Boynton
Beach, Fla.; brother and sister-in-law,
Steven and Toni Gross of California and
sister and brother-in-law, Karen and
Donnie Moon of Las Vegas.
Interment in Florida. Contributions
may be directed to the American Cancer
Society.

CATHERINE DAVID, 95, of South-
field, died Jan. 17. She is survived by her
son and daughter-in-law, Herbert and
Andrea David of Ann Arbor. Mrs.
David was the beloved wife of the late
Paul David.
Contributions may be made to the
Chabad House in Ann Arbor. Services

1/29
1999

Detroit Jewish News

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