BAND OFFERS DONATION FOR CANCER PATIENT

SAN FRANCISCO — Touched by a story about a teen-ager who might lose her leg to cancer, the rock band Night Ranger offered Thursday to donate $5,000 toward the girl’s medical expenses.

Jack Blades, bass player and lead singer for the popular five-member group, said the band was taking a break Wednesday night from studio work on its third album when he saw a television news report about Lora Boynton of Belmont, Calif.

“They were talking about this beautiful little girl (whose leg) they might have to amputate,” he said. “It got to me so much that I went into the band and said, ‘Let’s do something about it.’ ”

Lora, a 15-year-old high school freshman, suffers from Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that has affected her right leg. Doctors at first thought the limb would have to be amputated but have since said the teen-ager probably can be successfully treated with radiation and chemotherapy, said her mother, Carolyn Boynton.

Although her medical expenses will be covered by insurance, Mrs. Boynton said the family has other bills connected with her daughter’s illness. A trust fund for Lora has about $3,000 in it, she said.

“It (the Night Ranger offer) makes me feel great,” said Lora, who described herself as a fan of the group, although she has never been to one of its shows.

The band’s latest album, the double-platinum “Midnight Madness,” has been on the charts for 70 weeks with three top-20 singles, including “Sister Christian.”