Pi Kappa Alpha to hold fundraiser for sick alumni

By: Josh Weaver

Posted: 3/1/07

Members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity will host a dinner on Saturday to raise money for a fraternity brother who was diagnosed with testicular cancer last October.

Blaine Mauldin, an alumni of both the fraternity and San Jose State University, recently completed nine weeks of chemotherapy and said that he is feeling a lot better.

"I am feeling pretty good actually," Mauldin said via e-mail. "I finished my chemotherapy on Feb. 13 and have been recovering well since then."

Pi Kappa Alpha president Ricky Alas said that the chapter as a whole decided to put together the fundraiser.

"This is a real brotherhood that continues beyond graduation," Alas said. "Blaine fell on hard times, and we felt strongly that we needed to help our bro."

JP Jones, the fraternity's philanthropy chair, said that they are expecting around 250 guests. The members of the fraternity are encouraging everyone associated with SJSU to attend.

"It is going to be a family and friends type of environment," Jones said. "Normally the first weekend in March is set aside for our founders day celebration. We decided that we would celebrate this year by helping Blaine and inviting the community to our house and celebrate with us."

Alas and Jones said that they are receiving donations from such restaurants as Buca di Beppo, University Chicken, The Spaghetti Factory and BJ's.

"It is going to be a relaxed atmosphere," Alas said. "We want people to be able to show up whenever they want, eat some food and check out the house."

Jones said that Mauldin was a founding father when the fraternity was re-chartered in 2002.

"He helped me out a lot when I joined in 2003," Jones said. "This is an opportunity for us to give back to Blaine when he needs it the most."

Andrew Tardiff, a senior majoring in psychology and a current member of Pi Kappa Alpha, said that he is glad that Mauldin is receiving so much support.

"Having the support of your brothers in a time of need is what being (in this fraternity) is all about," Tardiff said. "We are all praying for Blaine."

Mauldin said in his e-mail that when he first heard of the fraternity's plans he was apprehensive of an event like this.

"I am not really one to draw attention to myself," Mauldin said. "Once I thought about

it more, I realized that it is being done by people who care about me and want to help me."

Mauldin played rugby for SJSU for three years and said that he was captain of the team for two. He graduated from SJSU in spring of 2005 with a degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in sports management. He said that he currently works in the front office for the San Francisco Giants as an assistant in the Giants community fund department.

Mauldin explained in his e-mail, that in early fall of last year he was experiencing a lot of pain and went to an urologist to get examined. Following the advice of the doctors Mauldin went to the emergency room.

"I was diagnosed with testicular cancer on a Tuesday in late October last year and had surgery the next day," Mauldin said. "I was obviously shocked when the doctor told me that I had cancer, but was able to remain positive throughout the process."

A CT scan performed after the surgery showed that the cancer had spread to some of his lymph nodes in his abdomen, and a chemotherapy program was put into motion to fight the infected lymph nodes, Mauldin said in second e-mail.

"After many 10-hour days of chemotherapy, countless blood draws and being basically

on house arrest when I wasn't getting chemo to avoid getting sick, I was relieved to find that the chemotherapy had worked to eliminate the cancer about a week and a half ago," Mauldin said.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the dinner will go directly to Mauldin to help alleviate some of the financial burdens of his recovery.

The dinner will be held at the Pi Kappa Alpha house located at 225 S. 11th St. at 6 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $10.

Any questions can be sent to blainesdinner@yahoo.com.