Why we walk for LRF: 'I had found an additional family for us'
In October 2017, our son #SuperDeclan was diagnosed with Infant ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia) - he was just turning 9 months old.
The shock and devastation that it brings to a family is surreal and heartbreaking. My husband and I decided I would stay with our son in the hospital while he stayed home with our daughter, age 4 at the time, and worked.
You are fighting to survive - as a family and as a mother, a father, a sister, and the one fighting the disease. It's not one person who fights - it's the family.
My son (thankfully) blazed through treatments. It was not easy at all. He was on a new protocol for infants and we spent a month at a time in the hospital during each phase for 6 months. It was heavy chemos given to him for direct periods of time, and there was no backup if it would work or not. That's scary and intimidating.
And to think that you have to poison your child to help them. It's a brutal wake-up call. We were only able to see Dad and big sister Finnleigh once a week for two hours a day. That's not family time - especially during the growing years of children.
When we were in the hospital, I looked up various groups for donations, anything to help our two-income family that now became a one-income family. It's devastating to not be able to provide for your family as you once had. And, in my search, I came across The Leukemia Research Foundation - I had found an additional family for us.
They provide support to families in the form of money for bills or medications, as well as research for leukemia and lymphomas. How amazing are they? They embraced our little family and encouraged us to share our story. That's what we want to do. Share our story and help others, and raise money in the interim.
Every year for the last several years we have participated in the ABC 7 Jim Gibbons 5K Run & 3K Walk. It's important for us to give back, as we have been fortunate to have received their help.
Our daughter, Finnleigh, who loves her little brother, has raised more than $1,500 the last two years for research on blood cancers. We are honored. We are blessed. We are grateful to be part of the LRF family. They believe in us. We believe in them.
Any dollar that you can give goes toward the goal of helping others who are affected by blood cancers, to research a cure for blood cancers, and provide education on blood cancers.
As of November 2019, our #SuperDeclan finished his two-year treatment for infant ALL and is still in remission. This is a blessing. There are some who don't reach this achievement. We hold everyone going through this in our hearts.