Brady Braves Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

When we were married, Dan and I, like most couples, dreamt of having a family.  During each pregnancy, we held our breath and hoped that there would be no complications.  We were relieved when each of our beautiful children was born happy and healthy.

However, on July 23, 2014 everything changed for us while on a family vacation in Virginia Beach, VA. Our son Brady, then just barely 5 years old, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).  In the blink of an eye, our world was turned upside down.  In addition to the leukemia diagnosis, Brady had also developed a staph infection that was life threatening.  Not only were we reeling from being informed of this diagnosis, but we were 600 miles from home, in an area that we were not familiar with and, had no family around to turn for support.  After one week in the Children’s Hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, Brady was flown home by private aircraft and was admitted to Rainbow Babies and Children Hospital for continued treatment.

Today, Brady is a happy, vibrant 6-year old with a great sense of humor and a contagious smile.  We are thankful that he is currently in remission, but our sweet, innocent little guy is still has to endure regular chemotherapy treatments and its after effects.

We heard about A Kid Again through a co-worker of mine, who volunteers his time to the organization.  Dan and I love attending events with our children whenever possible.  We feel the best part of this organization is that everyone in the family is invited to participate; including Brady’s two sisters, Abby (8) and Cate (3).

They all love spending time together which is what makes A Kid Again so appealing to our family….everyone is treated to the opportunity to forget about illness and to enjoy each other as a family.

Also, since Adventures occur about every other month, we all have something fun to look forward to.   We have also had the opportunity to make friends with other families in the group and, are able to share our experiences with people who know what we are going through…because they are too.