Community Corner

About Town: Stoughton's Darla Holloway to Appear on "Katie" Today

Welcome to "About Town with Mark Snyder," a column that will keep you up to the minute with what's what, who's who and what's going on around town.

(Posted by Mark Snyder)

STOUGHTON MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TO APPEAR ON "KATIE":  On Monday’s Season Two premiere of the nationally syndicated daytime talk show, “Katie,” airing Sept. 9, 4-year-old Darla Holloway, who sang “God Bless America" at Fenway Park recently, and her mother, Sherelle, of Stoughton appear on the show to discuss Darla’s diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

It will be a tear-jerker of a show, because host Katie Couric has some wonderful surprises in store for our hometown girl, Darla! The "Katie" show airs at 3 p.m. on WCVB-TV Channel 5.  

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The international press reported on Darla's singing of "God Bless America" at a Red Sox-Orioles game in late August.  The Daily Mail in Great Britain wrote, "As she started singing into the microphone, the crowd and the baseball players rose in respect.  With her tiny voice echoing around the silent stadium, players and coaches stood motionless with their hands on their hearts. A policeman also listened intently, clearly moved by the young performer. As she reached the climax of her performance, the crowd rose and cheered. A woman could be seen wiping tears from her eyes.

The toddler, as reported by WebProNews, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia last year and is now undergoing chemotherapy as part of a two-year treatment plan. 

Find out what's happening in Stoughtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Before the performance, her mother gave an interview to the Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, which ran on WEEI-FM and NECN. In it, she said her daughter was diagnosed with the illness after constantly complaining of feeling tired.  Mrs Holloway explained the moment she was told by doctors her daughter had leukemia.

 'I was a sobbing mess that day', she said. 'It was overwhelming just to hear.

'She is dealing with it and we are all dealing with it and we are happier now.'

The youngster was appearing at the stadium thanks to The Jimmy Fund, which raises money for cancer patients in the Boston area.

 


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