CRANBERRY TWP — Like many young couples, the Warmus family had just recently welcomed a new child — a son, Reid — the family's second child.

The child had come into the world a seemingly healthy boy, but several months later, all of that would change.

Only two months into his young life, the infant spent the next several months on a ventilator at Children's Hospital.

Holly Warmus, Reid's mother, explained that when her son was born last August, he seemed to be a perfectly healthy and normal child. However, by three months, he had developed pneumonia.

He was on a ventilator for two months at Children's Hospital while doctor's tried to determine the cause of Reid's ailment.

Subsequent tests several weeks later revealed that the pneumonia came from severe combined immunodeficiency.

Immediately following birth, newborns are protected from infections by the immunity transmitted to them by their mothers. Within a few months, the newborn's own immune system develops and assumes responsibility for fighting off infections.

However, in the case of severe combined immunodeficiency, commonly known as SCID, the immune system lacks specialized white blood cells found in bone marrow that fight off viruses and bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections. SCID is sometimes called "bubble boy disease."

Because Reid was so sick with pneumonia and unable to receive chemotherapy, techniques for bone marrow transplants without the chemotherapy are being done through Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina.

The Warmus' live in Cranberry Township's neighboring community of Economy, Beaver County. Holly had also worked at a Cranberry Township restaurant while attending school, before getting a job at Children's Hospital in Oakland.

The entire Warmus family — Holly, her husband, Damon, and her 8-year-old daughter, Gina — all headed to Duke with Reid for his bone-marrow transplant.

Reid got the transplant Dec. 14 from marrow donated by his mother.

Because the disease was caught early, doctors said, he has a 85-percent chance of full recovery.

The ordeal of tending to a sick child has had a dramatic effect on the lives of the Warmuses, who haven't been living in their own home since December.

Neither Holly nor her husband has been able to work since the family relocated to North Carolina for Reid's treatments.

Holly took a leave of absence for her job at Children's Hospital until June, while her husband took a leave from his job with a local moving company.

Gina has gone back home where family members have helped out so that the young girl can continue to go to school.

Holly said her daughter visits the family in North Carolina every couple of weeks.

Reid has been getting better in recent weeks, now being able to eat small amounts of baby food. Previously, he had to use a feeding tube through his nose.

Reid this week finished tests that will determine whether his immune system is healthy enough for him to go home in a few weeks.

However, because of Reid's weakened immune system, he would have to be isolated from people other than the immediate family for at least a year to protect him from contracting any illness, Holly said.

To offset some of the substantial expense associated with the procedure and medical treatments, the Cranberry Township Sunrise Rotary Club decided to donate the proceeds from the Sunrise Golf Classic on May 5 at the Cranberry Highlands Golf Course to the family.

Golf committee member Jerry Andree said this year's golf outing is raising funds to promote the club's mission and to help a local family.

"The Cranberry Sunrise Rotary Club is about service to our community," he said, adding that the Rotary morning club is relatively new, and was created out of the noon Rotary Club for members who had a hard time meeting for lunch.

<b>WHAT: </b>Cranberry Township Sunrise Rotary Club's Sunrise Golf Classic to help the family of 8-month-old Reid Warmus with his medical bills. The youngster is 0 battling a rare immune system illness.<b>WHERE:</b> Cranberry Highlands Golf Course<b>WHEN: </b>May 5. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Shotgun start at 9 a.m.<b>INFO:</b> To reserve a spot, call Rich Vozel at 724-934-8516 or Craig Walker at 724-776-7372