Thank you for your passion and commitment to fight childhood cancer!
In December 2018, Michael (age 3) went to the pediatrician for a typical belly ache and fever. It was within moments of seeing the alarming look on the doctor’s face in the exam room that we knew something was wrong.
In the hours to follow, we would learn that Michael has a massive tumor (about half the size of a football) growing deep within his abdominal cavity and, soon after, came the dreaded phrase that no parent should ever have to hear: “your child has cancer.”
In particular, Michael was diagnosed with Stage 3 High-Risk Neuroblastoma – pediatric cancer that formed from immature nerve cells on his right Adrenal gland (which sits just above the kidney). It is an aggressive cancer that impacts only 700 children globally a year and selfishly takes the lives of far too many.
While it is impossible to describe the all-consuming fear, anger and sadness that comes with such a diagnosis, watching Michael through his journey has been remarkable. Today, he is 7. His strength, resilience and smile are infectious. He has overcome obstacles that a grown (wo)man could not endure. Only raw facts can paint a picture of his bravery:
• 167 overnight stays in the hospital
• 38 cycles of chemotherapy
• 26 radiation treatments
• 2 surgeries
• 24 blood transfusions
• 19 trips to the ER
• 126 million new stem cells
• 6 months of immunotherapy
And by the grace of God, he is here. He is strong, he is brave, and he is so very LOVED.
To our friends, family, co-workers and community that have supported us through treatment, “thank you” will never be enough. We owe you a part of ourselves. To the angels that watched over us, thank you for answering all our tearful pleas. And to all the doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers and more, thank you for loving and caring for our family like your own.
Thank you for supporting the more than 300,000 kids worldwide who will be diagnosed with cancer this year. By sharing the gifts of your time, talent and money with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, you're supporting research to give all kids with cancer a better chance for a cure.
