Mateo is
Blood Cancer United

On June 26, 2013, at 6 years old, Mateo was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Our world was completely upside down since that night. Our hearts shattered when we processed the words "your child has cancer."

Dr. Sandler was the on call doctor that night and he explained all there is about leukemia and that, "There was a plan, and they could fix him." They spent days, weeks, and eventually months in the hospital. Battling leukemia and its side effects of the treatments caused other side effects and complications...high fever, pancreatitis, blood transfusion, radiation, and chemotherapy. 

In order to completely beat the leukemia, Mateo must now continue his treatments up through the final and longest phase of therapy, called maintenance, which takes 2½ years for boys. Now that Mateo is in the maintenance phase, he will receive a repeated course of less intense chemotherapy to further reduce the number of leukemia cells. Living in the toughest time of our lives.

Even through his toughest chemotherapy treatments, he demonstrated strength and courage every day. Mateo's prognosis is good. ALL has one of the highest cure rates. But it's a painful and scary battle for anyone to endure, let alone a sweet child. We will not stop until the world is cancer free for our children, so that kids like Mateo can have the gift of childhood they deserve.