This past spring, our lives changed in ways we never expected. What began as what we thought was a simple arm injury turned out to be something far more serious. After weeks of pain and testing, scans and a biopsy, we were told that our sweet five-year-old Hudson had cancer. It was then confirmed on May 27, 2025, that Hudson not only had cancer, but a very rare form of aggressive bone cancer called Ewing sarcoma. There are no words to describe what being told that your child has cancer feels like. From that moment our world shifted, but Hudson met it all with courage beyond his years. He began standard chemotherapy treatment at UNC Children’s Hospital, following the standard protocol (a combination of vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and etoposide). These rounds alternated between five-day in-patient stays and one-to-two-day clinical days. The months that followed were full of hospital stays, ER admissions, lab checks, transfusions, various scans and imaging, and long days in clinic. Through all of this, we still had days full of laughter, resilience, and moments that remind us of Hudson’s incredible spirit. Although chemo treatment was standard regardless of which hospital we treated with, surgery was not, and there were options. We wanted the best surgeon that had the most promising prognosis for our boy, and we would go to any lengths to make sure that happened. After weeks of research to find the top specialists in limb salvaging surgery and completing quite a few consults, we found our team! We finished the first six cycles of chemotherapy and traveled to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York City for limb-salvaging surgery. On September 10, 2025, Hudson underwent an extensive procedure to remove the tumor from his left upper arm and reconstruct his humerus using his own fibula bone, donor bone grafts, and surgical hardware. Surgery was a success, as his surgeons were able to achieve clear margins, meaning no cancer cells were found at the edges of the removed bone, and pathology showed 60% tumor necrosis which showed a decent response to chemotherapy treatment. We stayed in NYC while Hudson recovered so his team at MSK could keep a close eye on him. He endured weeks of healing all while maintaining his smile and sense of humor. Once cleared by his orthopedic team, we returned to UNC in North Carolina to complete his remaining chemotherapy cycles, marking the final stretch of this long and difficult journey. As we move toward the end of treatment, we hope to finish chemotherapy in February 2026. We are also working with an integrative oncologist at MSK to make sure that Hudson’s little body stays strong and has the best shot at keeping this cancer monster away for good. We are also considering other options to take after front-line treatment to help prevent relapse. After chemotherapy treatment ends, check-ins at UNC will become less frequent but continue over the next few years. We will also head back to NYC for a secondary surgery in early 2026 to shave down and/or remove some of the hardware in his arm and complete possible repairs needed. After this is all completed, our focus will shift to staying happy, healthy, and safe, while following a few new lifestyle changes and preventative measures. Through it all, Hudson has taught us what true bravery looks like. He has faced every needle, scan, and surgery with strength and courage. Of course there have been bad days, really bad days, but the good outweigh the bad and Hudson is so resilient handling all of this better than any of us. We know our God is good, all the time! We may not have the capacity to understand all of the why’s, but our faith is as strong as our boy. I know we are going to come out of this fire holding buckets of water for the families following this path behind us. We have the tools and faith to help them take on the blaze! Hudson’s journey is far from over, but we are hopeful and full of faith that our God has big plans for Hudson and our family!