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A CHRISTMAS

FRIDAY 12.25.15

MIRACLE
Grace West, 12, of Freehold Township
is cancer-free after meeting with the pope

JERRYS JOBS

PETER ACKERMAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

With Jerry Carino filling in as Santa, the cats were a little

fidgety at the Jersey Shore Animal Center's event in Brick.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST FAMILY

Grace West met with Pope Francis at the Vatican in December 2014.

JERRY CARINO
CARINOS CORNER

KAREN YI @KAREN_YI

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP Grace West doesnt

dwell on the two times the doctors stopped her heart,
or how she lost her hair and part of her hearing after
eight rounds of chemotherapy.
The 12-year-old was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma, a pediatric cancer that affects the nerve
cells.
She laughs about naming her IV pole Bob. And
about her French bulldog Topy, named after her first
chemotherapy drug, Topotecan.
Thats Grace, said her mom, Sharon West, 45.
The worst days, she was still smiling.
And even on those days, she never lost her faith.
On Dec. 11, nearly one year to the day that Grace
met Pope Francis at the Vatican on Dec. 17, his birthday, she got the greatest Christmas gift of all: Grace
See GRACE, Page 6A
TANYA BREEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

To see a video about Grace, visit APP.com

Grace West, 12, of Freehold Township, now is

cancer-free, a year after she met the pope.

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Hairy moments
as a pet-photo
Santa Claus

VOLUME 136
NUMBER 308
SINCE 1879

"6<;<3
 

BRICK - Santa Claus impressive skill

set includes marshaling a team of reindeer from housetop to housetop, shimmying up and down chimneys and eating
an incredible amount of cookies.
Lesser known is the jolly old elfs acumen as a pet whisperer. Think about it:
How many dogs and cats has Santa kept
calm over the years as he stuffed stockings?
I sought to channel some of that magic at the Jersey
Shore Animal Center earlier this month. For a hairy,
fidgety hour I served as a pet-photo Santa.
I came in with a good feel for pets, having shared a
house for the last decade with two cats after growing up
with a dog.
I left with a healthier respect for St. Nick.
Weve had all different kinds of animals come in,
said Jim Samuelson, who has played Santa in the shelter
for several years. Ive had rats, Ive had snakes, birds,
hamsters. Havent had any fish yet, though Im not opposed to it.
The Jersey Shore Animal Center is a non-profit shelter that oversaw nearly 300 adoptions in 2015. It currently houses 50 cats and 10 dogs. On four days each
December, folks bring their pets in to pose with Santa.
They give a donation and get a photo and greeting card
in return.
Most dogs dont mind at all, said Jaime McLachlan,
project director. Yes, the cats are generally nervous
because theyre out of their element. Some of them sit
still.
To prepare, I donned my Santa suit at home and tried
posing with my cats. The younger one, Circles, swiped
at me and ran off. His brother Pumpkin was too fat to

"TCVSZ
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See JOBS, Page 4A