Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994                   TAG: 9402240071
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: E-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

FUND SET UP FOR BOY WHO HAS LEUKEMIA

Family and friends have started a fund to help the family of 3-year-old Nathan Brown, who has leukemia.

Nathan is receiving chemotherapy at the University of Virginia Hospital, and doctors are trying to determine if he'll need a bone marrow transplant.

Nathan is the son of Gene and Denise Brown, who also have an 8-month-old daughter, Megan, who was born three months premature and was in the hospital for two months.

Nathan was diagnosed with leukemia in November, two weeks before his third birthday, after getting a popcorn kernel stuck in his nose.

"We caught it before he was actually sick with leukemia," said Denise Brown, who is on temporary leave from her job as an accounting clerk while Nathan receives his treatment. The family has insurance through Gene Brown's maintenance job at an insurance company, but they still have to pay about 20 percent of the bills.

Denise Brown said so far they have paid $5,000 and still have two hospital bills that have not come in.

The family needs help with hospital bills for Megan and Nathan and to help with trips to UVa. The fund has been set up the N&W Credit Union, 202 Fourth St. N.E., Roanoke, Va. 24016-3608. Information on the fund can be obtained by calling Karen Lynch at the credit union at 982-8811, ext. 9130. Checks should be made payable to the Nathan Brown Cancer Fund.