Inspirational Stories

Heads or tails? The medical research was clear. Soon after making his way into the world, this beautiful and innocent boy was given the chance of making it to 5 years with the same odds as the flip…of…a…coin. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) has a 5-year event-free survival rate of 50%. Half of the young children that receive this diagnosis don’t make it. Heads. Or. Tails.

Over 9 years ago, our family was introduced to pediatric cancer. It seemed like the exact opposite of everything we had prayed for as expectant parents. The fear of the unknown, the pain of seeing a baby go through endless medical procedures, and the inability to exert our own will in 'fixing' him, depleted our family and placed a burden on a newborn that was incomprehensible.

Terror, bewilderment, anxiety, powerlessness, anger. These were the feelings that we remember so vividly during those early days. We were desperate for help, for answers, for support. It was around that time that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) was introduced to us. And while our faith and our family were sources of tremendous strength, LLS soon revealed itself to be an organization that was tangibly impacting kids, just like Max.

The teams of doctors treating Max were receiving grant funding through LLS. The medications that were helping keep Max alive had been developed by LLS. The advocacy and support we received as a family were coming from LLS. Rarely have we seen lives impacted so positively as through the efforts of LLS.

Max is one of the lucky ones. He pulled through. Today he is a wonderful young man with a heart of gold. He inhales books, is a protective older brother, can beat his dad at chess, loves playing (and watching) every sport, and will no doubt leave his mark on this world in the best of ways. Max was given another chance at life in part due to the efforts of LLS. And our goal is to ensure that every other parent and child who face these diagnoses can have the same chance.

Story written by family member