Caregiver

My story is very unique. Christine and I got married in July of 1979. In August she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As we all now know, the prognosis at that time was not the best for an adult with ALL. There was a new procedure called a bone marrow transplant. Chris was not a candidate and seven months after we were married, she passed away at the age of 26. 

On September 8, 2020, my youngest baby Paige was diagnosed with high-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (HR B-cell ALL) at Children's National Medical Center in Washington D.C. This diagnosis came after two weeks of visually noticing a change in Paige's behavior.

On May 1, 2021, my son Joseph was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, and so our journey began. We were blessed with so much love and support throughout his treatment that we decided to raise money for those less fortunate. We joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and Light The Night (LNT) and raised over $17,000.

My story is not all that different from many others. It began with two-year-old me not feeling well and my mom taking me to the pediatrician on a Monday. They diagnosed me with an ear infection and gave me antibiotics. On Friday, still not better, my mom asked my dad if they should let the doctor take another look at me.

The year 2021 was quite a year for us. It was the year of cancer. No one ever really prepares themselves for the diagnosis of cancer, and when you're told you have it, the emotional roller coaster you are about to embark on cannot ever be fully described in words. The fear, the exhaustion, the financial burden, the feeling of helplessness you experience is completely terrifying.

It’s been five years since my daughter was diagnosed with stage ¾ Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). She had just graduated college, and she had a lump on her right clavicle area. We went to the doctor, and then it all started, from CT scans to biopsy to telling us that it would be six months of chemo, and that’s it.

Hudson entered the world on March 31, 2017. This is the day my heart left my own chest and was beating outside of my body. My whole world was immediately consumed by this little, perfect bundle of cuteness. As far as cancer risk goes, he didn’t really have any. He had a healthy infancy and toddlerhood, barely needing a Band-Aid. This is the case for so many children.

I am writing as a parent of a cancer survivor. My daughter, Avery Smith, who is now 8 years old, was diagnosed at 3½ years old with leukemia. In 2016, our then 3-year-old daughter Avery was complaining of muscle aches, backaches, and for a solid week was running a pretty high fever. We took her to the doctor, and after a few visits, they weren’t really sure what was going on.