I know first hand the impact on families when they are faced with childhood cancer.
When I was 29, my wife and I had our first child. We were blessed with a beautiful healthy baby girl, Morgan.
At 14 months, Morgan was walking, and all seemed typical for a toddler.
At 16 months, Morgan began looking tired; but, we did not recognize it at the time. At 17 months, she began losing her balance. We went to the doctors - first a pediatrician and then a neurologist.
Over the next month, I painfully and helplessly watched as my innocent baby regressed and symptoms became worse - while test after painful test was performed in the many hospital visits.
At 18 months, Morgan was no longer walking on her own and needed to hold our hands - stressful and upsetting for a child, who had known the freedom of walking independently. At this point, she was also was showing other gross motor skill loss, including involuntary eye movement.
At 19 months, an MRI was performed on her abdomen. We were sent directly from the MRI office back to the neurologist, where we were told the scan was positive - positive was not good. It felt like my heart dropped to my stomach.
The neurologist had already arranged an appointment for us to speak with an oncologist in the same hospital. Our three-person family proceeded to the oncology office on the second floor – my wife and I walked in a dazed state of shock.
I clearly remember sitting in the oncologist’s office that day twenty-three years ago. I heard haunting phrases parents hope they never encounter: “Cancer”, “Neuroblastoma”, “golf ball sized Tumor”, “Surgery on Monday”, “90% survival in the first 2 years, if it has not spread”, “if it has spread, 50% survival”.
That day changed the rest of my life.
This is why I support St Baldrick’s and the Locks for Lilly event. Since 2005, St Baldrick’s has invested more than $322 million in grants for childhood cancer research. I shave my head to raise funds for children - past, present and future, who are diagnosed with cancer.
So how does my daughter’s story end?
It has not been an easy road, but our family has been fortunate. My daughter beat the odds. The surgery was a success. Doctors gave her a chance, and she has been a fighter. Now at twenty something, Morgan has the opportunity write the rest of her story as she likes.
Cancer kills more of our kids than any other disease. Research can change that, and I don’t want to let these kids down. Can you help? Thank you so much!