to be santa. >> i asked all the people on my leukemia slayer page to donate one dollar to the causend got a whole bunch of money. >> reporter: $1700, enough for 200 gifts for kids of all ages. >> we had people who wanted to donate money for jacob to get presents. he said, no, he has everything he needs but he wanted to give presents to the other kids. that made me pretty proud. >> reporter: that christmas spirit made other families feel little bit better about a holiday in the hospital. >> the kids, of course, loved the is to and t-- the toys and the gifts. the parents saw how much this meant. there were a lot of tears because it was coming from somebody who understood what it's like to go through something like this in a difficult time and holidays can be difficult. >> i think one of the reasons jacob has been able to be so upbeat and positive through therapy, he knows he's giving back and the donations is making a defensive for kids in the world and years to come. >> reporter: although jacob will still have cancer this christmas, his best gift is knowing he has raised the spirit o

robert sandler had leukemia. it had broken through his bones. his twin elliot watched the ambulance take him away. back then the disease meant death in a matter of weeks, maybe months. but at children's hospital, dr. sidney farber was on to something. a kind of magic potion that was the first chemotherapy drug. robert sandler was in the first group to receive it. there's his mother more than 50 years later in a family video. >> every day to the hospital by street car, by bus because we didn't have a car. >> imagine the jubilation had it worked. within weeks, robert was back on his feet, with the family. christmas, 1948, still doing well. but it didn't last. >> and he had one month to go to be 4 when he died. >> robert died in the summer of 1949. nearly two full years after cancer struck. the scientific triumph that never did trump a family's pain. >> that's my bad memories of losing my son after having him declared cured because they used him as a guinea pig. >> i first heard about this story from dr. sid mukurgee. a can specialist in new york w

in 2006, you were told you have leukemia. a blood cancer. you had chemo, it failed. and you were told you needed a bone marrow transplant. i say all that to give people sort of the background on you to tell us what happened next. >> i got my blood tested for the stem cell transplant, and there were 233 donors which is a huge number of donors for a transplant because it goes to a -- a world bank to look for donors. and some people don't even have any donors. >> so they're trying to find a donor for you, for your leukemia. and just to back up for a second, timothy. they also wanted to find a donor who might in fact have a mutation that was protective against hiv. a lot of people don't realize there is such a thing. they were trying to find bone marrow to treat your leukemia and protect you again hiv. is that right? >> yes, correct. >> because of your hiv, your immune system was already compromised. so what did it feel like, what did you have to go through? >> i had to have another round of chemotherapy and also a full-body radiation treatment. >> you had been irradiate

. >> and and he was diagnosed with acute leukemia, chemo treatments have been part of his life three years. >> this has been difficult. >> but there is nothing normal about battling cancer. so the greater bay area make a wish foundation surprised the family. >> he likes wildcats so we're sending him to san diego, he's going to the zoo and will have a tour with the cats. >> the adventure includes traechls, at times, it seems christmas morning arrived early and won't end. >> i'm shaking inside. i'm holding back tears because i feel like once they start they won't stop. >> the wish is pund funded in part by a letter writing campaign to santa at macy's. on this national believe day, there were two. >> for every letter coming into the mailbox we make a donation to the make a wish foundation. >> these teenagers were so inspired, they collected nearly 10,000 leters. the drop off became yet one more gesture of generosity. >> this was an easy thing to do. people wanted to help us. >> for presents he and his family received today, the best gift is in october, right? >> it's hard to compete wit

. >> i have leukemia. >> you have leukemia?ah. >> other than a tube in her chest, three-year-old shows little sign of all that she's been through. >> who do we go visit on your make a wish? >> tinker bell. >> a year ago, doctors diagnosed her with leukemia and recommend add three week course of the potent chemotherapy drug. in one short 15 minute dose, medical workers at walter reid allegedly pumped kendall with more medicine than she was supposed to get over the entire three weeks. >> i was telling her one thing and my heart was saying something else. and i was praying to god that he let me have more time with her. >> it can severely damage your heart muscles even years later. and children particularly vulnerable. >> lobster red color. it looked like she was burning from the inside out. >> over the next few weeks, kendall was back in the hospital repeatedly. >> she had no white blood cells. >> pain so severe, doctors prescribed morphine. >> she wouldn't let me touch her. >> walter reid's pharmacy chief apologized for the error

and him understanding and saying, no more leukemia!was the best feeling in the world. >> today that joy was felt by all. just watching thomas feel good. >> what do you think about make a wish? >> i like it. >> so for all of the letters and the wishes coming true, thomas says thank you. in san jose, karina rusk, abc7 news. >> and we have a link to the make a wish foundation. go to our website at abc7news.com. click on see it on tv. >>> the next time you bake you will want to skip sneaking a bite of the raw cookie dough. the risk of falling ill from the batter might be greater than once thought. a new report released by the centers for disease control finds the culprit of a 2009 e-coli outbreak was ready to bake cookie dough sold in most grocery stores. more than 70 people nationwide got sick including a bay area teenager. the cvc believes raw flour may have caused the outbreak. the fda says several cookie dough makers have already switched heat-treated flour. >>> let's get a check of our weekend forecast right now with spencer christian

and him understanding and saying, no more leukemia! it was the best feeling in the world. >> today that joy was felt by all. just watching thomas feel good. >> what do you think about make a wish? >> i like it. >> so for all of the letters and the wishes coming true, thomas says thank you. in san jose, karina rusk, abc7 news. >> and we have a link to the make a wish foundation. go to our website at abc7news.com. click on see it on tv. >>> the next time you bake you will want to skip sneaking a bite of the raw cookie dough. the risk of falling ill from the batter might be greater than once thought. a new report released by the centers for disease control finds the culprit of a 2009 e-coli outbreak was ready to bake cookie dough sold in most grocery stores. more than 70 people nationwide got sick including a bay area teenager. the cvc believes raw flour may have caused the outbreak. the fda says several cookie dough makers have already switched heat-treated flour. >>> let's get a check of our weekend forecast right now with spencer chris

conception are 15 percent more likely to develop a childhood cancer known as acute lymphoblastic leukemiaked at least 20 cigarettes a day around the same time for 44 percent more likely to be diagnosed with the disease the study found that smoking by mothers had no impact on their children's risk of developing leukemia according to a new study teenagers are smoking and drinking less but using marijuana more researchers at the university of michigan said that one in 15 high school seniors reported smoking pot on a daily or near daily basis that is the highest rate since 1981 and 11 percent of teenagers admitted to using synthetic marijuana over the past year at the same time teenage drinking and smoking are at historic lows and continue to drop >>stringing those christmas lights for the holidays could be hazardous to your health the consumer product safety commission said that injuries involving falls from ladders cuts from broken glass ornaments and other decorating activities are on the rise more than 13,000 people were treated in emergency rooms during november and december last year th

in 15 minutes he went from 2700 followers to 3100 followers on the leukemia slayer site on his facebookage. i'm guessing now it's well over 3500. >> he is a special boy. his parents must be very proud of him. >>> let's turn things over to jeff and talk about next week leading up to the hole days and the first day of hanukkah. >> tonight hanukkah and the christmas holiday this weekend. and you're getting started, let's say even tomorrow, the only real big thing we have to worry about is these cold numbers. already dropping to 16 degrees cooler at this hour compared to this time yesterday. also anywhere between five to nine degrees cooler throughout most of our tri-valley at this point. 40 now in fairfield. 44 napa and concord. 48 in livermore. definitely widespread 30s in our interior sections. also isolated ed 20s. we'll see a little bit of cooling for wednesday, but sunny. no raindrops in site the next 48 hours. mid and high-level cloud cover. it is clear not only for the bay area but well up into northern california and far reaches of washington and oregon. let's look at the overall p

jude's research has changed how the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell.nd no family is turned away because they can't pay. the halls of st. jude are filled with courage and grace. my name's not grace. you must be courage? give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> good morning, everybody. rise and shine. here's a live look at the empty golden gate toll plaza. here comes the cars around the corner. it is 4:42 this morning. a new stage in iraq's history. the last convoy of u.s. troops rumbled across the border of iraq and into kuwait early sunday morning, marking the end of the war. details of the last convoy's departure were kept secret to ensure the safety of the soldiers. 4,000 soldiers will remain in kuwait, helping to finalize the move out of iraq. the nine-year war claimed the lives of close to 4,500 u.s. soldiers and 100,000 iraqis. >>> this morning a key vote on capitol hill could undo the deal when it comes to payroll taxes. for more on what you

etta james is terminally ill with leukemia.he 73-year-old known for her 1961 hit "at last" is in the final stages of her disease. her manager says things are not looking good and james' family is just spending time with her and waiting. doctors concluded that james' leukemia was uncurable two weeks ago. >>> an italian apeels court is explaining the amanda knox appeal. there was no motive, the time of dpej was wlong and there was no weapon. the appeals court even says there was no proof that knox and her boy frind were in the home when knox's roommate was killed. knox was initially sentenced to 26 years for the killing. she has sense been freed, returned to hometown of seattle. >>> a big breakthrough for a biotech company, gilead sciences of foster city is officially seeking fda approval to the closest thing to an hiv vaccine ever developed. it reduces infection. initial tests for people who use the pill cut their risk for hiv by 93%. 50,000 people are infected with the hiv virus in the united states each year. >>> good news for

. >> i have leukemia. >> you have leukemia? >> yeah. >> ordinary reason a tube in her chest, now three-year-old shows little sign of all that she has been through. >> who did we go visit on your make a wish? >> tinkerbell. >> a year ago, doctors diagnosed her with leukemia and recommended a three week course of the potent chemotherapy drug, doxorubison. in one short 15 minute dose, medical workers at walter reid allegedly pumped kendall with more than she was supposed to get over the entire three weeks. >> i was telling her one thing and my heart was saying something else. and i was praying to god that he let me have more time with her. >> it can severely damage your heart muscles even years later. and children particularly vulnerable. >> lobster red color. looked like she was burning from the inside out. >> kendall was back in the hospital repeatedly. >> she had no white blood cells. >> the pain so severe doctors prescribed morphine for the toddler. >> screaming at the top of her lungs and she wouldn't let me touch her. >> my

some people don't even have any donors. >> they're trying to find a donor for your leukemia. just to back up for your a second here, timothy, they also want to find a donor who might have a mutation that was protective against hiv. a lot of people don't realize that there is such a thing, but that's what he was trying to do was essentially find you bone mary rowe that would treat your cancer and your hiv, is that it right. >> that's correct. >> it was already compromised. what did it feel like? what did you have to go through? >> i had to have another round of chemotherapy and also a full body radiation treatment. >> so you had been irradiated, you received more cheemo. at what point did they come to you and say, look, this transplant worked as far as your kimmo goes. was there a point where they said, timothy, good news, we've had success here. >> they did feel that it was successful because my system had been replaced by the donor's system and was able to go to gym and work out and get in shape. >> this virus can hide. sometimes you don't know it's hiding. in your case they

your mommy donated her immune cells to help destroy your leukemia. st. jude children's research hospital pioneered this breakthrough that's helping save kids like hayli across america. thanks for letting me play with her. thanks for my daughter's life. thanks for giving to st. jude. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> making headlines today, to former penn state officials facing a preliminary hearing involving child sex abuse allegations against jerry sandusky. gary schultz and tim curley both accused of lying to a grand jury and failing to report the allegations to police all the way back to 2002. former assistant coach mike mcqueary testified he told schultz and curley he witnessed sandusky raping a boy inside of a penn state shower. mcqueary is expected to take the stand today. >>> it is sentencing day for barry bonds, the home run king convicted of obstructing justice for trying to mislead a federal grand jury investigating sports doping. n

. >> two weeks before his second birthday, he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastik leukemia. there is nothing normal about battling cancer fore the greater bay area make-a-wish-foundation surprised the family. >> he likes wildcats so he we shall to meet them in person so we are sending him to san diego. he's going to the zoo and he will have a v. i. pi tour with the cats. >> it includes a lot of extras. at times it seemed christmas arrived early and wouldn't end. >> i'm shake inside. i'm holding back the tears because i feel like once they start they won't stop. >> it started with a writing letter campaign at macy's santa. on this national believe day there were two. >> for every letter that comes into the mailbox we make a donation to the make the wish foundation. >> these three teeners were so inspired to help they collected nearly 10,000 letters. the gesture became one more level of generosity. >> it was easy to do. everyone wanted to help us. >> and the best gift actually came in october, right? >> yes. >> it's hard to compete the moment the family got the medical repriev

. >> reporter: sunday at age 77 he died of leukemia. not only of what he raised but ways to give back to san francisco to schools. >> focused on reading, bridging the gaps between the poor kids, kids that were not performing well and programs that would allow them to perform better. >> reporter: at san francisco's bay citizen newspaper, paused for a moment of silence. he helped launch the paper in 1979 in seed money. >> the conversations will continue with the family. >> reporter: he's more famous more launching the bluegrass festival 11 years ago in golden gate park, an outlet for love of roots music. >> last year, we had three quarters of a million. >> reporter: the site of the former speedway meadow, former bluegrass festival. >> he didn't have to, but he made it his interest to help san francisco. >> reporter: they named speedway meadow, hellman hollow after him. >>> ed lee sent a letter to the board of supervisor. it's located in pa sifaka. some environmentalists want the golf course closed saying it's home to an endangered snake a

he died after bat anything leukemia. he was 77. >>> after spending almost a year in afghanistan members of the california national guard's military police company are back home. lilian kim was at the airport in san jose and oakland as some of the soldiers were reunited with their families. for dozens of bay area families christmas came early. >> it is the perfect time to come home. >> more than 160 california national guard soldiers arrived at bay area airports on sunday after serving nearly 10 months in afghanistan. it was his first overseas deployment. >> it is rough. i am just proud to say i did it. >> they represent the guard's military police company. during their time in afghanistan they provided security and trained and mentored the afghan police officers. >> it is the way we police and the way we patrol. everything in general, the way we file things i think we did help them, but it will take a longtime to get everything the way it needs to be. >> many of the soldiers are returning home to small children. the last

she's been in failing health suffering from leukemia, dementia and kidney failure. the leukemia was declared incurable two weeks ago. she's known for the '50s and '60s songs. she's ranked 22nd on a list of 100 best singers of all time. news 4 at 4:00 is just getting started. >>> janet jackson's struggle with weight loss for the entire world. >> jimmie fallon is gearing up for his gig as host of "snl." >>> shoppers are in for a treat on this supersaturday. >>> britney spears got engaged in vegas last night. according to us weekly, her boyfriend popped the question during a romantic private dinner thursday night. it happened to be his 40th birthday. this morning, she tweeted he surprised her with the one gift she's been waiting for. they will celebrate at planet hollywood tonight. she's been married twice before. there will be a prenup. >>> singer katy perry's run of number one hits. she's mtvs first artist of the year. they made the decision. they decided her achievement tieing michael jackson's record of five number one songs from a single album was impressive. perr

. >>> bang joe-picking warren hellman died last night of complications from leukemia -- he spent as muchtime distributing his wealth as acquiring it. funding the san francisco free clinic and development of aquatic sports at uc berkeley also well-known for [ unintelligible ] for bringing the bluegrass festival to san francisco. organizers say the festival will continue. hellman was 77-years-old. >>> holiday isn't slowing down travel at one airport two million are expected to pass $Ñ o week, 5% jump from last year. the increase is welcome news to airport officials who have managed to beat out the downed economy by adding several new carriers and reopening the renovated terminal two, after 10 years. >>> sierra ski resorts hoping for a white christmas this year the biggest ski week is missing natural snow. most rest sorts will have limited operations relying on snow making months. it has been cold enough at night to make snow. lake tahoe basin snow pack was just 24% of the average. >> last year, what a difference a year makes. >> 150% last year at this point in time. i'm trying to find it t

your mommy donated her immune cells to help destroy your leukemia. st. jude children's research hospital pioneered this breakthrough that's helping save kids like hayli across america. thanks for letting me play with her. thanks for my daughter's life. thanks for giving to st. jude. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> studies show january is when you push out the least. >> i'm going to do push-ups between segments. they say it's largely because of the weather. find ways to get your body moving. >> trejing the through the snow on a sub zero arctic day is not how most people want to burn their holiday calories away. the good news is there are a lot of exercises you can do without leaving your heated home. >> empty bleach bottle. put water or sand. do lightweights. you really feel this is a lot of work. >> or add new meaning to work at the the office. >> every office building in the world had a great exercise facility we never use. it's called sta

he died due to complications with leukemia.we will be right back. [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls with cinnabon cinnamon are an irresistible sunday morning idea. nothing calls them to the table faster. sunday morning ideas made easy. pillsbury holiday star cookies start with pillsbury cookie dough easy. then add my own favorite frosting and sprinkles. just three ingredients to sweet memories. holiday ideas made easy. and it hasn't been going exactly as planned. cut. cut! [ monica ] i thought we'd be on location for 3 days -- it's been 3 weeks. so i had to pick up some more things. good thing i've got the citi simplicity card. i don't get hit with a fee if i'm late with a payment... which is good because on this job, no! bigger! [ monica ] i may not be home for a while. [ male announcer ] the new citi simplicity card. no late fees. no penalty rate. no worries. >>> a story full of holiday spirit. a pilot is joining others, including some in california, giving shelter dog as second chance. he saved more than 100 dogs

he died on sunday at 770 -- at 7:00 after dying of leukemia. he's best-known for launching the bluegrass festival in golden gate park. today's public service will be held at the congressional manual starting at 1:00. it will be streamed on the hardly strictly bluegrass website, a community celebration scheduled in the next few weeks. >> timeout 8:57. let's check in wartime to see what happening out there. >> good morning, once again. looking pretty good on this wednesday before the holiday as we still have some slow traffic here as we approach the coliseum right near high street. here at the bay bridge, there's a small play. >> hello, steve. sunny for the most part, but still foggy in the valley. highs anywhere from upper 40s, low 50s, to near 65 degrees. wind picks up tonight. call friday, and then the weekend looks quiet. no brain or so to worry about. >> we want to show you one more time the solvation army where they will be handing out toys to some really lucky families right now. thanks for joining us.

when a woman was dying of leukemia after the bomb dropped in hiroshima, she created the crane as a symbol of peace. the symbol has resonated with so many people. we've got a lot of people to come in and write wishes and put them on the crane. there are over 7000 cranes on the tree, 13,000 stars to add some more sparkle and help with the wishes up to the heavens. so, we are really grateful we have the ability to create this gift for the city of san francisco. we would like to thank everybody who helped us. there are some many people. a lot of kids in the city of san francisco. that is pretty much it. thank you. thank you for coming. millie. [applause] it would not be a san francisco event without a blessing from the sisters of perpetual indulgence. >> good evening, everyone. i am here to bless you. will ask for everyone's attention for just a minute. if you please, would you close your eyes, bring your hand close to your heart, and take a deep breath. friends, family, to date -- today we're gathered beneath a symbol of energy, life, and hope for the world. you have decorated it with love a

. >> he died of leukemia. >> and there is a young woman who had break through surgery at ucsf returned today to say thank you. she's back on her feet after a doctor said she'd be paralyzed for life. she struggled with a spine tumor four years while in high skoochl she sought help from a neurosurgeon who was confident she would make a full recovery after a highly-technical operation. >> this is very yun yeechblgt she had a tumor and a deform ti and both phone shallly causing the problem. >> the surgery here was phenomenal. really. a life changer for me. >> and she had a final checkup today one year after the operation brought her family to thank dr. cho and staff for the new lease on life. >> and there is a study finds mammograms are detecting low risk cancer. researchers analyze tumors before it was routine. they compared result was tumors detected more recently ach screenings for breast cancer began. based on a study in europe they found it helps to reveal slow to moderate growth tumors. >> and there is medicare says it's launching an experiment and hopefully save taxpayers money. off

warren hellman had been battling leukemia. he cofounded the private equity firm hellman and friedman. as a philanthropist he helped several projects including the news site bay citizen. he also started an annual concert called hardly strictly bluegrass. warren hellman was 77. >>> and the last group of american troops about 500 of them are now out of iraq. a convoy ended a drawdown that saw the u.s. go from 50,000 troops in august to 0. the top u.s. general in iraq stopped by to wish those soldiers well. some californiaed in a guard troops are just back from afghanistan. the 870th military police unit arrived in san jose last night as well as in oakland and in san francisco. they spent a year in afghanistan. it's in the south bay portions of san jose. looks like sar towing. >>> coming up 101 you may see rain. i saw a little bit in san francisco as he was coming into work earlier. but again not even really -- you won't even need your windshield wipers. >>> are cooler there. coming up you will take a check of the seven-day foreca

jude's research has changed how the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell. no family is turned away because they can't pay. the halls of st. jude are filled with courage and grace. my name's not grace. you must be courage? give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> d.c. mayor vincent gray has new plans for the historic lincoln theater. was once the place to perform for artists like duke ellington. it fell into disrepair after the riots. today, it's kept open with cash infusion. the d.c. commission will take over management of the theater to secure its financial future. >> the goal is to be able to preserve this theater. this is a 90-year-old theater. it's made an enormous contribution of this city, the history of u street. we owe it to the past, present and future to see it. >> a four-week run of the movie, "the girl with the dragon tattoo". >>> there's a school in northeast washington where the students are lean and fit and focused. it's the academy of ba

your mommy donated her immune cells to help destroy your leukemia. st. jude children's research hospital pioneered this breakthrough that's helping save kids like hayli across america. thanks for letting me play with her. thanks for my daughter's life. thanks for giving to st. jude. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life. and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> if we could go back to a time machine, that would be star trek. that's where they make it all happen for us. we appreciate them each and every day. >> if you haven't gotten your flu shot, it's not too late to get one. a new strain was confirmed in iowa. it's linked to pigs, but it's spread by humans. there have been ten cases, mostly children. three children in iowa are believed to have been spread from person to person. it's more transmissable than the h1n1 strain at the center of the swine flu pandemic back in 2009. >>> there's a brand new album from singer amy winehouse out just four months after her death. ♪ try to make me go

jude's research has changed how the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell.nd no family is turned away because they can't pay. the halls of st. jude are filled with courage and grace. my name's not grace. you must be courage? give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> welcome back, everyone. you want to be careful what you have in your hand as you walk down the street this holiday season. thieves are targeting shoppers not for their purchases but for their smart phones. police reporting 40 cell phone smugging last year. that of course being union square. the target, women, disabled and young people. the robbers always involve physical violence. a punch in the face or a knife. >> walking down the street on your cell phone. you're easy target for someone to take it out of their hands. >> people should not fight back. let the phone go. that could be very, very dangerous. >>> it's 4:54. trying to move it ahead for you. hello, weekend. starting today commuters i

. >>> banjo-picking billionaire warren hellman died last night of complications from leukemia. spent as much time distributing his wealth as he did acquiring it. using his fortune to fund the san francisco free clinic and development of aquatic sports at uc berkeley. he was well-known for bringing the blue glass festival to san francisco. hellman was 77-years-old. >>> ago secretary of state clinton said she hopes for improved ties with the north korean people. that, as north koreans mourn the death of their leader kim jong il. president obama spoke to south korea's president last night and reaffirmed the u.s. commitment to stability in the region. karen travers has the latest. >> reporter: the word is watching waiting to see how north korea responds to the death of kim jong il. south korea's military on high alert concerned about its nuclear neighbor taking action to show strength. >> this situation should not be a threat to peace and qfs korean peninsula. >> reporter: kim jong il took power in 1994 after the death of his father. famously vain he favored designer clothes and wo

warren hellman died sunday of leukemia. he was 77. >>> it is down to three. chris rene will try to win the $5 million prize tonight on the x factor. ktvu's robert handa is live. >> the show is broadcast live to the east coast is under way. we don't want to give away anything so we won't show it going on. here is what it looked like before with chris rene fan whose waited a long time in line to see him go for the big prize. >> reporter: the line stretches around the nightclub hours before the show started. a thousand fans showed up to see chris rene continue his remarkable journey that locals say put santa cruz on the map. >> we have x factor with chris rene. we have some amazing local salient here. it's been hidden for a long time and now it's not. >> to watch a home town guy reaching this level is really exciting. >> reporter: chris rene's story made him a compelling figure. overcoming addiction and hardships. >> put it all on the line like he always done. puts his heart out and really expresses himself in his songs and that's his big connection. >> i like h

. >>> banjo-picking billionaire warren hellman died last night of complications from leukemia. spent as much time distributing his wealth as he did acquiring it. using his fortune to fund the san francisco free clinic and development of aquatic sports at uc berkeley. he was well-known for bringing the blue glass festival to san francisco. hellman was 77-years-old. >>> ago secretary of state clinton said she hopes for improved ties with the north korean people. that, as north koreans mourn the death of their leader kim jong il. president obama spoke to south korea's president last night and reaffirmed the u.s. commitment to stability in the region. karen travers has the latest. >> reporter: the word is watching waiting to see how north korea responds to the death of kim jong il. south korea's military on high alert concerned about its nuclear neighbor taking action to show strength. >> this situation should not be a threat to peace and qfs korean peninsula. >> reporter: kim jong il took power in 1994 after the death of his father. famously vain he favored designer clothes and wo

her 15-month-old boy passed away from leukemia and hopes her story and xavia will help. >> they are lookinghristmas miracle. five yearsas we got a heart january 6th right after christmas maybe this will be another christmas miracle. >> it takes 20 minutes to help save a life. paperwork and a swab of your mouth and that's it. more people from the drive promisessed to mail in samples hopefully a christmas miracle is on the way for this young girl. time for a check of the forecast. let's go back over to just in. >> all right. at 5:11. we look at mostly cloudy skies this morning. we will get sun and those of us that have been in touch for a while you know i have a one track mind. no snow in sight and there's snow in the great lakes and heavy rain out of east texas that lay lou the upper level winds, you can sigh it takes us back to the wet and it could be very wet tonight. temperatures mild again unlike yesterday's record high of 62. we will be be close to the temperature but not close to a record. that will be 70 today. we are aiming for 606789 part will you sunny sky. the rain tense and chris

jude's research has changed how the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell.nd no family is turned away because they can't pay. the halls of st. jude are filled with courage and grace. my name's not grace. you must be courage? give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> flames are ripping through an apartment complex in san francisco. parts of the roof of the building have collapsed at 24th and bartlett. firefighters have been battling the blaze since 4 clrn 30. no reports and no word on injuries or the cause of the fire. it's been 30 years since the if first reported case of aids. 20 years ago they opened the national memorial grove in golden gate park. at noon today medical pioneers will be honored in the grove. ea vigil is set for 6:30 tonight. free hiv testing will be offered from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. >> it is 4:54 right now. christina loren talked about the winds. >> even though we get a clearer view of the roadways, we have to hold on tight. hold on tight,

our research has changed the way the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell.e help kids all across america. now, these kids have hope... and a sense of humor. where did you get this color? it's natural. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> welcome back, everybody, on this tuesday morning. a quiet, calm look at the the golden gate bridge. wish it could be like that every minute of the day. it is 4:44. >> penn state football coach jerry sandusky will face accusers in court this morning. sandusky is charged with 50 counts of child sexual abuse with ten boys and has been under house arrest last week on new charges. prosecutors are expected to open the two day hearing with the strongest witnesses. sandusky's attorney says his client is incident and suggests some accounts from accusers don't add up. the u.s. supreme court agreed to take up the issue of arizona's illegal immigration law. arizona says the law is necessary because the federal government is not

our research has changed the way the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell. we help kids all across america. now, these kids have hope... and a sense of humor. where did you get this color? it's natural. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass. >>> new this morning, put down the on

our research has changed the way the world treats brain tumors, leukemia and sickle cell. we help kids all across america. now, these kids have hope... and a sense of humor. where did you get this color? it's natural. give thanks for the healthy kids in your life and give to those who are not. go to st. jude.org or shop wherever you see our magnifying glass.

. >>> scientists have identified 9 gems that fuel a common like of leukemia. half the time the blood cancer is aggressive while others don't seem to have symptoms for years, researchers say these genes could help doctors identify which form the patient has and how they should be treated. >>> you want to be sure to check back in with wjz today at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00. where will the protesters go now. >>> a new development, jerry sandusky's attorneys make a surprise move in court. join is for these stories and all the day's breaking news today at 4:00 right after dr. phil. >>> stick around, your five-day- medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're al

he died of complications from leukemia, at 77 years old. >>> a century of wisdom in today's tough economy. this 106-year-old man is still working on wall street in these days of the occupant protests. we'll hear from him on the markets of the past and present. >>> and a giant numeral two being loaded in it new york city today. find out its purpose, and how it is energy efficient >>> sharks in action tonight. got highlights coming up in a few. that and a little nfl talk, including the athlete of the year. on the male side. local ties. keurig has over 200 varieties from 20 leading brands, including tully's. it's the way to brew everyone's favorite cup in under a minute. way to brew. makes it easy for anne to view her finances from anywhere. like gate d12 for the next three hours. citibank for ipad. easier banking. standard at citibank. [ beep ] hi. dave here. [ male announcer ] for dave, using citibank's online bill pay is as easy as setting up voicemail. hi, it's dave. [ male announcer ] actually, it's easier. hi, it's dave. i'm out of the office. [ male announcer ] online bill pay. easier

etta james is suffering from leukemia and dementia. >>> a maryland family may not feel much like having a big dinner today but they certainly are rejoicing. maryland love got out of the hospital over the weekend after giving her daughter, sasha, a kidney. sasha was placed on a waiting list of about 100,000 people around the country. also in need of a transplant. but shortly after she began dialysis treatments, doctors discovered that her mother was a match and we're told that sasha is going to be out of the hospital soon. wish her well. >>> coming up, olga has the forecast. >> that's right. the sunshine is sure to put a smile on your face but this breeze and all of this wind, it will make your teeth chatter for the remainder of the afternoon. i'll let you know how warm we're going to get and when we'll get the rain moving into the forecast. a look ahead to the holiday weekend. all of that when 9news now continues. >>> help has arrived for the crew aboard a russian boat that is sinking in the atlantic. the russian ship has been trapped for more than a week because of a foot-long hole in

researchers studied more than 400 children with leukemia and found kids with dads who smoked around theof conception were 15% more likely to develop the disease. researchers 3 rise the toxins in tobacco -- theorize the toxins in tobacco smoke could damage sperm. >>> the federal government today says it will soon start cutting funding for medical and behavioral research programs that test on champ zes. the directive from the national -- chimpanzees. the directive from the national institute of health urges it be done only as a last resort. currently the government funding nearly 50 projects that use chimps to test vaccines in hiv research and see how they react to certain diseases. >> we didn't convene around mice or fruit flies and, of course, because of the genetic proximity of humans to churches we needed to convene around this question -- chimps we needed to convene around this question. there have been no policies that were universal for chimpanzees and so this was a very important moment to get a set of criteria we could recommend to nih to use. >> the nih director says chimps dema