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Wednesday, Aug. 05, 2009

Childhood cancer foundation shoots commercial that honors memory of midstate girl

Jeffrey McAfee has had a dream for the past few years. He is now seeing that vision come to fruition with local support.

McAfee, president of the Joanna McAfee Childhood Cancer Foundation, has wanted to make a commercial to promote September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

His daughter, for whom the foundation is named, died of cancer four years ago. She was 6.

Macon-based Bright Blue Sky Productions filmed the commercial over the weekend at The Medical Center of Central Georgia and the Warner Robins American Little League fields. Paul McAfee, Joanna’s brother, used to play baseball there.

“The commercial is loosely based on Paul and Joanna’s relationship,” Jeffrey McAfee said. “Paul’s outlet was baseball.”

In the summer of 2005, Paul McAfee was chosen to be on the All-Star team for WRALL. Despite the fact he would miss the first week of practice, his family decided to go ahead with a planned two-week vacation.

“From a baseball standpoint, it was the worst decision,” Jeffrey McAfee said.

It turned out to be the last family vacation they had with Joanna McAfee. During vacation, she relapsed.

Paul McAfee later chose to pull out of the district tournament as he became increasingly distracted by his sister’s illness. In the commercial, Paul McAfee, played by Custis Donner of Macon, hits a home run. After getting the game ball, he runs to the hospital to give it to his sister, played by Kylie Seitz of Juliette.

Since one of the scenes in the commercial was about baseball, the foundation asked the Silver Britches and Diamond Dominators, traveling teams based out of Warner Robins, to be a part of the production.

“I’m not sure they knew what to expect,” said Johnny Ellison, one of the coaches. “There’s an excitement factor.”

All the boys wanted to be the pitcher who threw the ball that the Paul McAfee character hits for a home run. Their enthusiasm was evident when the kids came to the plate to cheer him on.

Jeffrey McAfee said he hopes that the commercial will raise the awareness of childhood cancer.

“It’s geared toward a national audience,” he said.

The first mission of the foundation is awareness.

During September, the foundation will host many events, including a statewide dress down day. It also will have magnets featuring the silhouette of Joanna and gold ribbons, which represent childhood cancer, said Kim Adkison, the foundation’s office manager.

Everyone at the ballpark knew Joanna McAfee as the girl “with a big ring around her mouth from shaved ice,” Jeffrey McAfee said.

And soon, through the efforts of many people, he hopes the nation will know about her story as well as pediatric cancer.

To contact writer Angela Woolen, call 923-5650.