Max, along with every four-year-old, is bright and insanely loving. He greets every day with a huge smile, thanks everyone that helps him in any way and always reminds those around him of the love he feels. Our journey started in December. What started as pneumonia soon progressed to what was believed to be anemia. Doctor's treated the pneumonia and justified the anemia with the virus he'd been admitted with. Visit after visit we were told he was a healthy boy. On February 4th of 2025 he was discharged from pediatric hematology because he was in the 75th percentile and was tall for his age. The doctor said "every kid goes through a phase where they don't want to eat". This wasn't my baby, he was irritable all the time and his sleep cycle was all wonky. I knew something was wrong but no one was listening. On March 1st he woke up screaming because his legs hurt. I thought it was growing pains, I prayed it was just that. I had broken my ankle two weeks prior and we were home alone. I remember the adrenaline rush, I kicked off my cast faster than Usain Bolt and called an Uber to take us to the hospital. Upon arrival he was admitted, got blood and platelets and then developed a crazy-high fever. A pediatric hematologist came to talk to me and told me that from their experience it was leukemia but we needed a bone marrow aspiration to confirm the type. Time started crawling and running at the same time, I felt my world come crashing down on me but at the same time I felt an insane relief that someone was finally listening to me. The first two weeks were horrible. Bearing news no parent should have to carry while watching their child in pain. Max developed neutropenic colon so he was fasting for days and days. He was cranky, hungry and in pain. We are now in treatment and grieving the life we had while celebrating each and every day with our baby. Advocating for our children should not have to be this hard, I've volunteered many times bringing awareness to cancer in all ages and never imagined it would be my little creation on this side. Nevertheless I had the tools necessary to keep pushing for a diagnosis and the rest is in God's hands. Thank you for supporting me and 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.