Bright yellow shirts reading “Beat it Buzz!” filled the bleachers at the Crestwood Junior High School gym last Thursday afternoon.
    Although school let out early, many students, teachers, and other community members stayed late last Thursday to show their support for Andrew “Buzz” Miller, an eighth-grader at Crestwood who is battling leukemia. Buzz is the son of Tom and Linda Miller of Cresco.
    The back of their shirts proclaimed “Kick Some Butt and Take Some Names,” a favorite quote of Buzz’s, and the shirts are printed in Iowa Hawkeye’s colors, Buzz’s favorite team.
    Buzz was diagnosed with Philadelphia Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in June of 2007, the summer before he entered sixth grade. Following four months of chemotherapy and radiation, he received a bone marrow transplant on Sept. 29, 2007.
    The cancer then went into remission and Buzz experienced a wonderful seventh grade year. The cancer was in remission until June of 2009. Buzz underwent chemotherapy again at the Mayo Clinic, where he spent the majority of July, August, September and October, and went to the University of Minnesota to receive a stem cell transplant last weekend.
    Throughout his diagnosis and treatment, people close to Buzz say he has kept a positive attitude and expects everyone who knows him and supports him to do the same.
    Over 250 members of the community have purchased t-shirts to show support to Buzz. T-shirts cost $10 and will be available at O’Henry’s until Nov. 16. “Buzz Bands,” bracelets reading “Beat it Buzz,” are available by calling 563-547-4760. Messages can be left for Buzz at http://caringbridge.org/visit/buzzmiller.