SOLIDARITY–Boy Scout Troop No. 730 rallies to support their friend and fellow scout, Andreas Knickman, front, during his fight against cancer. When Andreas started to lose his hair from chemotherapy treatments, his friends, from back left, Court Shepard, Noah Coscarelli, Josh EadyRobert Geoffrion and Anthony Egendorfer supported him by shaving their heads. Boy Scout Troop 730 in Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park has become an army of support for Andreas Knickman, a 13-year-old middle school student recently diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer.

To provide support for Andreas, some of the boys as well as Scout leader Bill Parker shaved their heads when chemotherapy caused Andreas to lose his hair.

In a further show of support, the troop and other friends have formed the team “Andreas’ Army” to walk in the American Cancer Society 24-hour Relay for Life Oct. 10 to 11.

Noah Coscarelli, 14, hatched the idea of sharing the baldness with his friend and organized the head-shaving day on Sept. 3.  

“Andreas is a really nice guy, and I wanted to do something for him,” Noah said of his Scout buddy. “He’s really outgoing and is always doing things for everybody, so I wanted to do something for him. We did it because he lost his hair.”

Andreas was touched by his friends’ efforts to cheer him up. “It lifted my spirits quite a bit knowing that there were people shaving their heads,” he said.

Parker is proud of his troop. “In keeping with the values of the Scout oath and law, our boys have been very supportive of one of their fellow Scouts,” Parker said.

Andreas’ Army, in addition to planning for Relay for Life, also participated in a blood drive Andreas initiated for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles on Sept. 29, organized through Miller Family YMCA in Newbury Park.

“When I initially found out I had cancer, I thought a lot about how much was given to me by Childrens Hospital, and it was very important for me to give something back to the hospital for everything they’ve done for me,” Andreas said.

“One day at the hospital, they came to the rooms asking for parents to donate blood, and I got the idea to have a blood drive.”  

Andreas’ mother, Debbie Knickman, said her son has undergone six chemotherapy treatments at Childrens Hospital and is scheduled for surgery on Oct. 2 to remove the bone affected by the tumor. The bone will be replaced with a metal rod, Knickman said. Andreas’ knee is also being replaced.

Osteosarcoma, she said, was difficult to diagnose because the pain in his leg mimicked orthopedic problems. Andreas is an active teen—he skis, hikes, bike rides and participates in a host of other sports and activities.

“So we went the route a lot of people do—went to the orthopedist, got X-rays, physical therapy,” Knickman said. “We thought the physical therapy was working, when actually there was a tumor that was still growing.”

Apparently the bone tumor had grown out of the bone and became soft tissue, which is less painful than it is in the bone. The growth coincided with the physical therapy, so at first Andreas and his family were pleased with his recovery.

However, when the Knickmans’ pediatrician, Dr. Peter Antall, was told about the symptoms during a scheduled appointment, he became suspicious enough to order an immediate MRI of Andreas’ knee, which revealed the cancer.

Friends are planning other fundraisers to help the Knickman family. Mounting medical bills beyond the scope of what insurance covers has the family worried. In the short term, Knickman said, they’ve already met their deductible on their insurance plan. Her husband, Roy, is a firefighter and has fairly good health insurance.

“There are so many costs besides medical costs that accumulate,” Knickman said. “In the long term we have no idea what we’re in for. Andreas will have long-term physical therapy—we’re hoping this is the first and last surgery, but I’ve been in contact with several other families who’ve been through it, and there are things that happen . . . complications.”

The Talbert Family Foundation, a nonprofit group, has contacted the family with offers of support.

“We have to get used to receiving help from people,” Knickman said.

Sometimes help comes from unusual sources. Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong produced a daily video during the 2009 Tour de France and dedicated each phase of the race to somebody who inspired him. Andreas was honored in the 10th round, his mother said.

Support for Andreas is also coming through CaringBridge (www.caringbridge.org), a nonprofit online service that keeps family and friends connected with loved ones during an illness.

Andreas has some words of advice for other children facing cancer and the arduous road to recovery.

“Always stay positive and optimistic,” he said. “Have a sense of humor, try to live your life like you previously lived it—and don’t give up.”