By: Mary-Justine Lanyon

March 10, 2011

The enthusiastic participants at last Sunday's Zumbathon are not the only neighbors reaching out to the Gronley family. Lake Arrowhead resident Kristina Sparkman is training to run the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll half-marathon in June in their honor.

While Sparkman did not know Sandra, Jimmy, Kayla and James Gronley prior to deciding to dedicate her run to them, she knew of their story and felt drawn to them.

She has her own personal connection to leukemia, as her surrogate daughter, Hailey Kent, was diagnosed with a rare aggressive form of the disease on Oct. 4, 2006, at the age of just 4 months.

After months of hospitalization and chemo treatments, Hailey was able to go home, where she remains on isolation.

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