A Simi Valley infant, 5month-old Gavin Patrick Roark, has lost his battle with a rare form of cancer.

Gavin, the only son of Ventura County Sheriff's Dep. Kelly Roark and his wife, Jaimee, died Sept. 1.

When Gavin was born on March 21, 2008, doctors noticed he had a mass on his head and a spot on his leg. When he was 3 months old, Gavin underwent surgery to remove the mass and the mark. After more surgeries and extensive testing, doctors found melanoma on his lung and liver.

Only 0.03 percent of melanoma cases are found in children less than 1 year old. Gavin began chemotherapy last month, but died just a couple weeks later.

Curtis Witeby and Jenny Murphy, neighbors of the Roarks, have been working to help the family throughout their crisis.

Witeby is on the board of directors of the Simi Valley Community Foundation, which can help residents who want to make safe donations to nonprofit organizations and others in need. He has helped in establishing the Roark Family Benefit Fund.

"We just felt so much for the family," Witeby said. "It's been just devastating. We wanted to do something, and there has been so much fantastic support for the family. They haven't been able to work, and it's been very overwhelming."

Witeby also works with the Ronald McDonald House Program and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.

He said many families don't know where to get help, or that a fund can be established.

"Most people don't know that the city can do that and that it's available for families," Witeby said. "In the event that someone loses a family member or they are going through a crisis, it can really help."

For more information on how to set up a fund for someone in need, contact the Simi Valley Community Foundation at the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce office.

To make a donation to the Roarks, visit the Chamber or mail checks to the foundation at 40 W. Cochran St., Ste. 100, Simi Valley, 93065.