Justin Miller Begins Treatment to Cure Childhood Cancer Number 6

We are in the clinic waiting room at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, preparing to be seen and admitted to the special room. Cancer fighting #6 is about to begin…

A little more than a year ago we were experiencing this same MIBG therapy for advanced-stage neuroblastoma in New York. We hope we are more prepared this time.

Justin fully understands what the next few days will bring: the lead-lined room, the isolation, the feelings of being a “caged animal” where whatever goes in, can’t come out. We’ve talked with him about how restricted Grandma and I will be from being able to take care of him, touch him, hug him and love on him.

I know it is crazy that I am excited about giving my son an extreme amount of radioactive isotope to stop this ridiculous cancer, but I am. Dr. Maris (yes, the same Dr. Maris who is co-leading the new Pediatric Cancer Dream Team*) and his team are wonderful.

The radiation levels will be the same as before and we are hoping the results will also be the same as the last time – no evidence of disease. By far the MIBG therapy (a pediatric oncology therapy supported by St. Baldrick’s Foundation research funding) has been the best treatment to stop Justin’s prior cancer progressions and we are still hoping that will continue.

Over the last two months since we discovered that Justin had childhood cancer for the 6th time, it has progressed so quickly. I shudder to imagine what is going on in his little body. I pray we get to stopping the cancer before the cancer starts having visible impacts on him. Please pray with us.

Here we go…

*Formerly known as the St. Baldrick’s – Stand Up to Cancer Pediatric Cancer Dream Team, this team is now the St. Baldrick’s EPICC Team (Empowering Pediatric Immunotherapies for Childhood Cancer).