Inspirational Stories

Life for Rachael, Brandon, and Jackson was good. Jackson was a happy and healthy baby. He loved all things trucks, looking at books, helping his dad with projects around the house, and playing with his puppy Remy. In the weeks leading up to his second birthday, Jackson developed a low-grade fever that he just couldn’t shake. He would be up all night inconsolable, and he stopped playing during the day, only wanting to be held. Rachael, Brandon, and Jackson had multiple trips to the pediatrician where we were told he was battling a virus. Progressively, he stopped eating and drinking.

After a trip to Cincinnati Children’s Emergency Room, an MRI detected that Jackson had leukemia. He was officially diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) about a week after his second birthday in 2019. Rachael and Brandon were told there was a 50/50 chance of survival and that the path there would be difficult. Jackson endured four grueling rounds of intense chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant while in the hospital for over six months. Along with the intensive treatment came nausea, rashes, and mucositis while dealing with hair loss, NG tube placement, and an assortment of uncomfortable medical tests/procedures.

Remarkably, Jackson achieved remission in September 2019 and has remained in remission since. Today he is a happy and healthy 6-year-old about to graduate Kindergarten. He loves playing baseball, basketball, and football, and spending time with friends.

Rachael and Brandon credit the research and work of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as a key contributor to their son’s recovery. Better research in their team of doctors’ hands meant better, more effective treatments, and they look forward to supporting LLS’s new Dare to Dream Project for pediatric cancer to help bring improved outcomes to more children and families.