Conquering Leukemia

In March 2006, our daughter Carrie was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor at the age of 2. In October 2013 she was finally discharged from the neurosurgeon at Children’s Hospital, which was a huge milestone. In November, just one month after Carrie had been discharged, our son Carter was diagnosed with leukemia. For 3.5 years, Carter went through chemotherapy, hair loss, weakness, mouth sores, about 100 nights in the hospital, and a few hundred nights at the clinic. Not only did our family experience tremendous stress related to Carter’s diagnosis, but I also had to stop working which caused financial stress as well. Time together as a family seemed so infrequent during this journey because we spent so much time at the hospital. Illness took a huge toll on our entire family.

I remember during one of Carter’s most intense phases of treatment, A Kid Again held their Kings Island Adventure. I still treasure the pictures from that day; my cute, bald, little guy was riding rides and getting his face painted. Our family was able to forget about leukemia and just have fun!
A Kid Again Adventures quickly became a family favorite.

The organization lived up to it’s name…it allowed not only Carter but also his siblings, to just be “a kid again.” It allowed our family to form great friendships with other A Kid Again families, and the opportunity to have fun-filled days, even when financially we weren’t able to do these things on our own. 

When your child is battling a life-threatening illness like cancer, it can make you feel secluded, but we felt supported every step of the way. We are forever thankful for A Kid Again! The impact it has on our family and other families like ours is truly amazing. It helps families look past their child’s diagnosis or prognosis for a day, and allows them to enjoy being together!