Just days before Christmas 2023, I noticed tiny pinpoint dots around Brooks’s eyes. Concerned, I sent photos to our pediatrician, who immediately ordered blood work. The results came back showing extremely low platelet levels—the cause of the petechiae (small spots of bleeding)—along with other abnormalities. She referred us urgently to a hematologist. Over the following months, Brooks underwent three bone marrow biopsies and received a blood transfusion. Then, on February 1st, we finally received a diagnosis: Brooks had Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML), an extremely rare form of pediatric leukemia. The only curative treatment is a bone marrow transplant. After two surgeries and two rounds of chemotherapy, we were transferred to Stanford for his transplant. Brooks, his big sister Rowan, and I temporarily relocated to Palo Alto for four months. Dad was able to stay with us during Brooks’s hospital admission, then began commuting back and forth to Sacramento for work. Post-transplant, Brooks faced the tough challenge of relearning how to eat. He relied on an NG tube for nutrition and medication for eight months. Today, Brooks is 16 months post-transplant and thriving. He is cancer-free and fully embracing life as a busy, happy toddler. Through it all, Brooks never stopped smiling. Even on the hardest days—when chemo hit hardest—he still found ways to be silly, to laugh, and to bring joy to everyone around him. He’s full of energy: running, climbing, jumping, and constantly in motion. But he’s also a mama’s boy at heart, always ready to snuggle with me, his blanket, and his favorite teddy bear. He captured the hearts of his nurses and made countless friends along the way. Every day, his strength and spirit remind us of the incredible little fighter he is.