Police Donate to Family of Girl with Brain Tumor

As 7-year-old Kayla Rose Dehnert remains in a Tennessee hospital with her parents by her side, Novato is rallying to support the family financially as well as emotionally.

The Novato Police Officers Association on Tuesday donated $500 to the Denhert family as they focus on Kayla, a second-grader who found out earlier this month that she has a cancerous brain tumor. She is spending Tuesday and Wednesday having her blood harvested for stem cells for future chemotherapy treatments at St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital, according to her grandmother, Vicki Smith.

The gesture was much appreciated by Smith and family supporters.

“This is so wonderful,” Smith said after accepting the check from Detective Trevor Hall, a board member for the Novato Police Officers Association. “We have a great community here. I’m so impressed that so many great people have offered to help — more that I could have even imagined. There have been a lot of prayers and a lot of love.”

Smith, who owns the on Grant Avenue, accepted the check in front of several police officials and family friends at the . She said her daughter, Annie, who is Kayla's mother and a stylist at the Wright Salon, is coping well as she spends time at St. Jude along with her husband, Denny, a Novato plumber. Both parents have had to leave their jobs temporarily to be with Kayla.

Nicole Choi, one of Kayla’s soccer coaches last season, said fundraising efforts are gaining momentum — several have already taken place — and donations are being sought for a major fundraising event.

Choi said she received a call from a Novato mother who said her 16-year-old daughter holds a hot cocoa and bake sale each year for a local charitable cause, and she chose the Denherts this year. The sale will take place this Friday at a home on Sutro Drive, near (specifics coming later) and a number of Denhert family friends will contribute baked goods to the sale.

“It’s been amazing,” Choi said. “The support has been fantastic.”

Kayla is scheduled to undergo eight weeks of radiation treatments followed by a three-week break and four months of chemotherapy, Smith said.

“We just have to be strong and appreciate each moment of each day,” she said. “And we want to say thank you.”

'CURING KAYLA ROSE' FUND

To donate to the “Curing Kayla Rose” fund, an account has been set up at the — Dehnert Family Account 1553. There are three branch locations where donations may be made.

• 209 Third Street, San Rafael
• 301 North McDowell Blvd., Petaluma

To follow the progress, the family has set up a blog, “Curing Kayla Rose,” which also contains the link to the PayPal account for donations.

For more information about volunteering or donations, Nicole Choi can be reached at nicolekchoi@yahoo.com.