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ALIQUE TOPALIAN: FROM CANCER CHILD TO DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE
BY TOM VARTABEDIAN
asbarez
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Alique Topalian
CLEVELAND-Alique Gabrielle Topalian continues to remain the consummate
poster child for her generation.
As a child of 4, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia - a
rare cancer that starts inside the bone marrow and usually targets
children. Her prognosis was not favorable. Doctors felt she would
need a bone marrow transplant to survive and a match couldn't be found.
After nine months of chemotherapy treatments, some of which was
experimental, she went into remission and has been cancer-free ever
since the loss of vision in one eye and a learning disability in math
and science has only heightened her ability to excel.
Come June 5, she will graduate with distinction from Beaumont High
School, an elite private Catholic all-girls' school in Cleveland
Heights. Although the school doesn't rank its students, her near 4.0
GPA would have qualified for valedictorian status.
Alique as a child She's been playing tennis ever since her
post-cancerous days, even receiving awards from the sport. But more
the scholar as evidenced by her Cum Laude on a National Latin Exam
and editor of her school paper.
The list goes on, reading like a veritable Who's Who with Shakespearean
recitations to Congressional commendations, a Capitol Hill lobbyist
and Armenian community activist like her prominent dad Mourad and
her dedicated mom Michele Seyranian.
No fewer than six universities throughout the land have offered
scholarships with Ohio University winning her acceptance. She will
soon embark upon an undergraduate degree in Psychology while working
toward a doctorate and her ultimate dream.
More than anything, this 17-year-old coed has yearned for a career
to help others in the same manner she was helped.
"I tend to be very compassionate and care deeply for others around
me," she says. "I want to make a large difference in the world. You
meet people who have gone through the same treatment and it helps to
realize that people do survive and thrive afterward."
Much of it has to do with the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
which she has promoted over the past decade. As a Leukemia Lymphoma
Society Girl of the Year, she has held her title proudly, speaking
at teachers' workshops and offering inspiration to other childhood
victims and survivors.
"School is a way for me to further my education," she emphasizes. "As
a cancer survivor, I've had to work much harder than most kids to
achieve these grades. My dream is to impact the world and help others
who have gone through similar situations, perhaps help find a cure
for cancer. It may sound like a cliche because I know so many others
who wish the same thing."
An uncle is fighting a 3-year battle with bone cancer and Alique is
there on the front lines, working with doctors and hospitals. Mike
Topalian stood by his niece when she was faced with the ordeal. Now
she's doing the same for him.
"Because of her work with patients and their families, Alique was
selected for an internship at The Gathering Place, which researches
cancer," said her dad. "Mike's cancer is in the late stages and he's
suffering a lot with it but never complains or tells anyone about
the pain. Alique is by his side doing all she can to ease the torment."
As a passionate spokeswoman, Alique addressed the Armenian Bone Marrow
Registry's annual benefit this past year. It was nothing new for the
teenager. She's been making these speeches right along.
Her talk was motivational. Alique told of how she valued her heritage
and the importance of being a donor. She spoke about people helping
people and how the younger generation can make a difference at an
age when many like her are getting a bad rap.
"People wonder why there must be an organization specifically
designated to Armenians," she told the gathering. "We are a strong
people with a beautiful history of survival and a unique genetic
makeup, making it difficult to find matches within the international
registries."
There was the time when she was that little girl needing a bone
marrow transplant. Her parents were told she had a 20 percent chance
of survival. A match was never found, even with her own family. As
it turned it, her cancer went into remission through extensive chemo
treatments. As a fifth-grader, Alique was named Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society's Girl of the Year and has been touted by the Bone Marrow
Registry for meritorious service.
"Many other Armenians in my situation were not as fortunate," she said,
thanking all those who stepped forward to register. "Your dream of
helping to save a little girl has grown into this organization. Now
it's become a large part of my life."
Since its inception in 1999, it has grown to great extents. Six years
later, the Mariana Kazarian Center opened in Los Angeles. In 2007,
the Registry opened its new Stem Cell Harvest Center in Yerevan, which
offers transplants to may Armenians with cancer, diabetes and heart
ailments. Last year another Harvesting Center was launched in Armenia.
"Everything in the world happens for a reason," Alique pointed out.
"The nine months of suffering I endured along with my family has
helped save the lives of multiple Armenians around the world. By
seeing the progress over the past 11 years, I can only anticipate
greater things to come."
The youngest of six children, Alique speaks about cancer in much the
same way an authority on the subject might. She addresses teachers'
workshops and converses with friends on the street. The ambassadorship
in her knows no boundaries.
She's even spoken on Capitol Hill in Washington, lobbying for dollars
to gain support for pediatric cancer research.
"I talk to them when a student has cancer and how to help them return
to school when they're out for treatments," says Alique. "Cancer
doesn't have to be a death sentence. In fact, it's made me stronger.
You can only hold a grudge for so long and learn to live every day
to the fullest."
Her mom considers Alique somewhat of a miracle girl and continues to
remain a catalyst in the fight for a cure through her work with the
donor registry.
"What was once the exhausted princess waging a war on cancer is now
a healthy and happy young woman," Seyranian notes. "When we went
looking for a suitable donor, doctors told us the best hope would
be another Armenian. We sent out a plea for help and the Armenian
community responded not only for Alique but for hundreds of other
Armenians around the world also in need. Alique is considered a miracle
because we never found a match for her and today she thrives. We've
been blessed."
At Beaumont School from where Alique will soon graduate, the beat
goes on in the classroom and on radio interviews. As a volunteer
at Montefiore - a Jewish nursing home in Beachwood - she visits
residents and helps brighten their day. On top of that, she's employed
at Nordstrom.
Her favorite school subject happens to be English and she also enjoys
community theater. Alique was chosen for the Baldwin-Wallace College
Leadership & Public Policy Institute this year and recently elected
into the peer ministry at Beaumont.
This past April 24th found her in California with her dad, campaigning
for human rights and genocide recognition. She served as a monitor
at the protest and relished the experience.
"I don't know where Alique gets these ideas about unity, recognition
and reparations," says her dad. "She's pretty much on top of current
events and wants to be on a megaphone. She has no problem speaking
before hundreds of people."
BY TOM VARTABEDIAN
asbarez
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Alique Topalian
CLEVELAND-Alique Gabrielle Topalian continues to remain the consummate
poster child for her generation.
As a child of 4, she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia - a
rare cancer that starts inside the bone marrow and usually targets
children. Her prognosis was not favorable. Doctors felt she would
need a bone marrow transplant to survive and a match couldn't be found.
After nine months of chemotherapy treatments, some of which was
experimental, she went into remission and has been cancer-free ever
since the loss of vision in one eye and a learning disability in math
and science has only heightened her ability to excel.
Come June 5, she will graduate with distinction from Beaumont High
School, an elite private Catholic all-girls' school in Cleveland
Heights. Although the school doesn't rank its students, her near 4.0
GPA would have qualified for valedictorian status.
Alique as a child She's been playing tennis ever since her
post-cancerous days, even receiving awards from the sport. But more
the scholar as evidenced by her Cum Laude on a National Latin Exam
and editor of her school paper.
The list goes on, reading like a veritable Who's Who with Shakespearean
recitations to Congressional commendations, a Capitol Hill lobbyist
and Armenian community activist like her prominent dad Mourad and
her dedicated mom Michele Seyranian.
No fewer than six universities throughout the land have offered
scholarships with Ohio University winning her acceptance. She will
soon embark upon an undergraduate degree in Psychology while working
toward a doctorate and her ultimate dream.
More than anything, this 17-year-old coed has yearned for a career
to help others in the same manner she was helped.
"I tend to be very compassionate and care deeply for others around
me," she says. "I want to make a large difference in the world. You
meet people who have gone through the same treatment and it helps to
realize that people do survive and thrive afterward."
Much of it has to do with the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
which she has promoted over the past decade. As a Leukemia Lymphoma
Society Girl of the Year, she has held her title proudly, speaking
at teachers' workshops and offering inspiration to other childhood
victims and survivors.
"School is a way for me to further my education," she emphasizes. "As
a cancer survivor, I've had to work much harder than most kids to
achieve these grades. My dream is to impact the world and help others
who have gone through similar situations, perhaps help find a cure
for cancer. It may sound like a cliche because I know so many others
who wish the same thing."
An uncle is fighting a 3-year battle with bone cancer and Alique is
there on the front lines, working with doctors and hospitals. Mike
Topalian stood by his niece when she was faced with the ordeal. Now
she's doing the same for him.
"Because of her work with patients and their families, Alique was
selected for an internship at The Gathering Place, which researches
cancer," said her dad. "Mike's cancer is in the late stages and he's
suffering a lot with it but never complains or tells anyone about
the pain. Alique is by his side doing all she can to ease the torment."
As a passionate spokeswoman, Alique addressed the Armenian Bone Marrow
Registry's annual benefit this past year. It was nothing new for the
teenager. She's been making these speeches right along.
Her talk was motivational. Alique told of how she valued her heritage
and the importance of being a donor. She spoke about people helping
people and how the younger generation can make a difference at an
age when many like her are getting a bad rap.
"People wonder why there must be an organization specifically
designated to Armenians," she told the gathering. "We are a strong
people with a beautiful history of survival and a unique genetic
makeup, making it difficult to find matches within the international
registries."
There was the time when she was that little girl needing a bone
marrow transplant. Her parents were told she had a 20 percent chance
of survival. A match was never found, even with her own family. As
it turned it, her cancer went into remission through extensive chemo
treatments. As a fifth-grader, Alique was named Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society's Girl of the Year and has been touted by the Bone Marrow
Registry for meritorious service.
"Many other Armenians in my situation were not as fortunate," she said,
thanking all those who stepped forward to register. "Your dream of
helping to save a little girl has grown into this organization. Now
it's become a large part of my life."
Since its inception in 1999, it has grown to great extents. Six years
later, the Mariana Kazarian Center opened in Los Angeles. In 2007,
the Registry opened its new Stem Cell Harvest Center in Yerevan, which
offers transplants to may Armenians with cancer, diabetes and heart
ailments. Last year another Harvesting Center was launched in Armenia.
"Everything in the world happens for a reason," Alique pointed out.
"The nine months of suffering I endured along with my family has
helped save the lives of multiple Armenians around the world. By
seeing the progress over the past 11 years, I can only anticipate
greater things to come."
The youngest of six children, Alique speaks about cancer in much the
same way an authority on the subject might. She addresses teachers'
workshops and converses with friends on the street. The ambassadorship
in her knows no boundaries.
She's even spoken on Capitol Hill in Washington, lobbying for dollars
to gain support for pediatric cancer research.
"I talk to them when a student has cancer and how to help them return
to school when they're out for treatments," says Alique. "Cancer
doesn't have to be a death sentence. In fact, it's made me stronger.
You can only hold a grudge for so long and learn to live every day
to the fullest."
Her mom considers Alique somewhat of a miracle girl and continues to
remain a catalyst in the fight for a cure through her work with the
donor registry.
"What was once the exhausted princess waging a war on cancer is now
a healthy and happy young woman," Seyranian notes. "When we went
looking for a suitable donor, doctors told us the best hope would
be another Armenian. We sent out a plea for help and the Armenian
community responded not only for Alique but for hundreds of other
Armenians around the world also in need. Alique is considered a miracle
because we never found a match for her and today she thrives. We've
been blessed."
At Beaumont School from where Alique will soon graduate, the beat
goes on in the classroom and on radio interviews. As a volunteer
at Montefiore - a Jewish nursing home in Beachwood - she visits
residents and helps brighten their day. On top of that, she's employed
at Nordstrom.
Her favorite school subject happens to be English and she also enjoys
community theater. Alique was chosen for the Baldwin-Wallace College
Leadership & Public Policy Institute this year and recently elected
into the peer ministry at Beaumont.
This past April 24th found her in California with her dad, campaigning
for human rights and genocide recognition. She served as a monitor
at the protest and relished the experience.
"I don't know where Alique gets these ideas about unity, recognition
and reparations," says her dad. "She's pretty much on top of current
events and wants to be on a megaphone. She has no problem speaking
before hundreds of people."