Performing for cancer patient

After work, Dr. Christopher Duma trades in his surgical instruments for musical ones.

As front-man for the band Circle of Willis, his stage performances are music to the ears of his patients. Duma uses the band to raise money for the medical patients.

Duma and his band mates (all of whom are doctors) will come to the aid of 14-year-old Austen Landaas, who suffers from a rare form of leukemia called acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

The benefit concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. July 31 at the Friends Sports Tavern, 31911 Dove Canyon Drive, Trabuco Canyon.

Landaas was thrilled when he learned about the concert.

“I was pretty happy,” he said, “because I know its really going to help with the costs — especially since I know my mom can’t work right now.”

Landaas’s mother, Roberta Landaas, has cut back on her work hours.

“Before this all happened, I was working three jobs,” she said, “but I’ve had to cut back to spend more time in the hospital.”

AML is an aggressive cancer of the blood, Duma said.

“It’s a very aggressive disease and it hits quickly,” he said.

“You can be put into remission, and there are certainly cases where it can be cured, especially with the treatments that have become available.”

According to lead singer Robert Lynn, the disease is uncommon.

“It’s extremely rare,” he said, “but not unheard of. It requires some very serious assistance, medication.”

Austen says that the most irksome part of his treatments have been the chemotherapy.

“I know it’s going to make better but it’s still pretty intense,” he said.

Although Duma isn’t the doctor who will treat Austen, he would like to use his musical talent to help out.

Duma’s affinity for music began at young age, even before he became a doctor.

“I started taking piano classes at age 9,” he said, “and I’ve been in some sort of rock band since age 13.”

More recently, Duma saw his interest in music as a way to help medical patients.

“[The band] stems from my long term interest in music,” he said. “We don’t play a lot, it is always for some charity. We played for an American brain tumor foundation about a year ago in Huntington Beach.”

Most of the other band members also grew up making music.

“Collectively we’ve been playing for 100 years,” Lynn said.

The Circle of Willis got their name from the system of arteries that supplies blood to the brain.

“For those who are familiar with the term, it’s kind of clever,” he said. “But for the average person, it doesn’t mean too much.”

During the concert the band will play popular songs from the ’70s ’80s and ’90s.

Those who cannot attend are encouraged to send money to the Austen Landaas Fund at 777 Corporate Drive, Suite 210, Ladera Ranch.

If You Go

What: Charity concert

When: 7:30 p.m. July 31

Where: Friends Sports Tavern, 31911 Dove Canyon Drive, Trabuco Canyon

Cost: $10, which will be donated to leukemia patient Austen Landaas

To donate: Send funds to Austin Landaas Fund: 777 Corporate Drive, Suite 210, Ladera Ranch, CA 92694