On October 19, 2018 after complaining of excruciating pain in his back, we took our 16 year old son Jack to see the pediatrician. He checked him out and told us to immediately get him to Children's Hospital of Colorado. Go to the 7th floor and see Dr. Maloney. Not paying attention and thinking nothing was wrong we didn't notice that the 7th floor was the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. We met with doctors and took some blood tests and came back with the dreaded words - "your child has cancer". Specifically acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). From there our world was changed forever.
Over the next 5 1/2 years our son Jack fought valiantly. Doing everything he was asked he endured multiple rounds of chemo, CAR-T twice, and even a bone marrow transplant with his brother as his donor. Jack never gave up. Jack never felt sorry for himself. Jack alway had the desire to kick cancer's butt.
After 2 1/2 years Jack was deemed in remission and he began his journey as a college student studying criminal justice. Slowly his legs began to fail him. What was a 10 minute walk to class became a 30 minute struggle. After visiting several non-cancer doctors we took Jack to his oncologist at Children's who informed us that the cancer was back, this time in his spine. He was admitted immediately and the battle began again. Like a true warrior Jack battled. He battled through everything and always had a smile on his face. Jack endured two CAR-T treatments and a bone marrow transplant and still nothing worked. It was then we heard the words no parent wants to hear, 'there are no more options'.
Unfortunately current cancer treatments failed Jack and he passed away on February 16th, 2024. The work of Blood Cancer United is so important and it is our hope that we can get to a place where on other families have to embark on this journey.
Daniel
Family member
