Glen Parker Bayne Hero Fund

In August 2014, just a month shy of his second birthday, Glen was diagnosed with Stage 4, Group 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma.

He endured a year of intensive chemotherapy, 5 weeks of radiation, and several surgeries. After completing his treatment plan in September 2015, he is now showing no evidence of disease.

A day that began with concerns that Glen’s tummy didn’t look quite right ended with life-changing and devastating news that there was a massive tumor growing rapidly in our one year-old’s abdomen. The week that followed was a blur as we tried to process more information than we could handle. We painfully watched Glen undergo a battery of tests, scans, and examinations as we tried to learn the new language of childhood cancer, the treatment plans, and all of his options. We had no idea how much worse things would get.

Unfortunately, there weren’t many options. We quickly learned the harsh realities of childhood cancer treatment limitations and settled into life on 7West at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY. With Glen’s four year-old brother set to start kindergarten in a week, we tried to prepare ourselves for the long and emotional battle our family faced.

While time and a positive response to treatment have helped erase the worst of what Glen had to endure, we will never be the same after having felt him slipping so far away from us. We are grateful for every day we have with Glen and are heartbroken for the many families in our community and around the world that have lost their beautiful children to cancer.

We are often told by friends and family that they can’t imagine having to make all the decisions we have encountered since Glen’s diagnosis. The truth is, we haven’t gotten to make many decisions because there aren’t enough options. There aren’t enough viable therapies. There aren’t enough alternatives. There isn’t enough research. There aren’t enough drugs being developed specifically for children to limit the horrible side-effects and lasting damage for survivors.

We are still finding a way to let our own emotional journey motivate us and others to help make a difference, spread awareness, fund research, and find cures.

Glen’s Army sprang into action following his diagnosis, supporting and encouraging our family through Glen’s cancer battle. They have provided us meals, visited with us, cried with us, prayed for us, marched with us, and SHAVED with us. We have enlisted their support to continue raising awareness and much needed funding for childhood cancer research.

We are proud to honor Glen with this Hero Fund and hope that the love and support he has received will continue to make a difference for years to come!