Update October 2013 - In August James had his 3 Month Scans and we were blessed to hear he was disease free. Mid November he will have his next set of scans and we pray for more good news. The last several months we have seen James smiling more than ever before, taking on a Hip-Hop class, playing Flag football and soon joining the basketball team. He goes to PT weekly and has a brace he wears nightly to help with both the neuropathy and scarring from High-dose radiation, but his smiles and spirit have never been stronger. He was also blessed with a wish trip from CT Make-a-Wish and spent a week at Disney/Universal and the GKTW Giving Kids the World Village. Great people that made that possible. Every $ helps bring us closer to cures, and improve care - and I continue to be impressed with organizations like St Baldricks that help raise awareness and resources for other great organizations like Childrens Oncology Group and Connecticut Childrens Medical Center. -- James has given his whole family strength - dubbed the "Warrior" when he first started his fight against Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma Stage III, a cancer which when first found - by stroke of fate - was already a 2.5" tumor in his Tibia that had perforated an oval hole in the middle of the bone. He has gone through a wild storm since being diagnosed with Rhabdo, and has always come out swinging and in the end smiling with courage. We hope to see him continue like that, and grow up to look back on this as a story - not of what defines him, but what has definitely shaped him. He started his battle in July of 2012, and in May of 2013 is scheduled to finish his chemo. He has been blessed with great and caring staff at Connecticut Children's Medical Center - Dr Mike, all the Oncologists, His primary nurses Katie, Liz and others - as well as countless others that greet him with a smile every week when he comes for his treatments. 6 Weeks straight of High Dose Radiation, 42 weeks of chemo, multiple trips for fevers and side affects of the treatment and a few surgeries - all Par for the course for what Kids need to endure when cancer enters their life. One of the Great oncologists at CCMC [Dr Moss] once said in the beginning of James treatment as the chaos had swept over us - "Cancer is coming to your house, you either let it be head of household, or treat it like a guest - you decide." Brilliant Words. Giving to St Baldricks, either as a Shavee raising money and awareness - Barber giving of your time, or a donor giving of your resources all help take a step closer to reducing the number of kids like James who may get that news with their family that "Cancer is coming to your home", and someday - find cures for all Pediatric Cancers. 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.