Damon’s ‘Happy’ Perspective

Tag Archives: American Childhood Cancer Organization

Meet Damon, a childhood cancer advocate and forever 13 year old. The day that Damon was diagnosed, he heard the song, “Happy” by Pharrell while in the ER with his mother Lisa. His father Brian suggested that he make it their theme song and make every day “happy” which helped Damon be positive every day.

Brian’s radio background afforded him the opportunity to reach out to Pharrell’s recording company where he requested an autograph. Pharrell did something much more exciting; he recorded a video for Damon which proved to be a lasting memento in his life. Pharrell’s message conveyed positivity and to treat every day as a gift. Watch Pharrell’s video here:

One night while in surgery, Brian watched the video several times and allowed it to speak to him. When Damon woke up, Brian showed Damon the video and told him to watch it until he got the message. The video challenged the Billeck family to live in the moment, cherish the gift of today and Damon started having fun. He loved having fun with his family and could often be found making videos with them in WalMart.

Damon’s spirit was infectious. Damon was able to meet Buddy and the staff at Carlo’s Bakery to take a tour and learn more about the company. He made such an impression on Buddy and the staff that he was invited to Buddy’s bakery and restaurant opening in San Antonio, Texas. He was even able to collaborate with Jumo Health to create a comic book titled Understanding Osteosarcoma. Read his comic by clicking the picture below.

During his fight, Damon was able to overcome many challenges including a limb amputation and a relapse. His strength and humor helped him to get through the tough times. Damon wanted to help other kids with cancer at University Hospital by securing a bell for them to ring when they complete chemotherapy or they were declared N.E.D. – No Evidence of Disease. Damon was able to make friends with the San Antonio Fire Department and Chief Hood who made his dream happen. The bell is aptly named “Damon’s Victory Bell” which helps to celebrate an end to cancer and memorialize firefighters who passed to occupational cancer. Appropriately enough, Damon was able to ring his own bell at the age of 12!

Texas lawmakers invited Damon to the Capitol where he became Governor for the Day. His proclamation as newly appointed Governor was to declare October 6, 2016, “Pediatric Cancer Awareness Day.”

On January 3, 2017, Damon learned that his cancer had returned. By this time, Damon had tried all procedures and protocols to kill the cancer and the only treatments left would be trial medications. A few months prior, his parents had a conversation with Damon talking about the prospect of cancer returning. “If it comes back, we will turn you into a guinea pig, get you a nametag and call you Bugsy (from Bedtime Stories)!” they said, jokingly. In the Billeck family, humor helped them cope with his prognosis. Damon looked at his parents and said, “well, I guess y’all need to get me that nametag now.” Damon’s perspective on his prognosis was, “I can do this all day!” Brian was so inspired that he decided to tweet Chris Evans, star of Captain America. Evans retweeted the post about Damon and his story went viral. From then on, Damon and Chris kept in touch. Despite his prognosis, Damon continued to raise awareness for childhood cancer. He was the Ambassador for ACCO in 2016 & 2017 and attended the PJammin® for Kids with Cancer event at Microsoft in San Antonio & Austin, Texas. Check out his appearance here:

Damon fought a long and hard battle with osteosarcoma and passed away on April 3, 2018. His legacy lives on and he continues to help raise awareness for childhood cancer. When Damon was 12, he wrote a letter to cancer, illustrating what it took away and what it taught him. It’s a lasting impression on how children fight and deal with cancer. Read his letter here:

Lisa and Brian have become instrumental in the childhood cancer fight and they continue to advocate for kids with cancer. In early 2019, Brian joined hundreds of advocates at the Texas State Capitol to advocate for continued funding of $3 billion in cancer research funds as part of the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT). Damon’s parents and family continue to advocate and have big plans to help in the fight against childhood cancer.

Follow Brian on Twitter or Instagram @happy2badad or on Facebook at @teamdamonbenefit/

Read Damon’s original Gold Ribbon Hero story here: https://www.acco.org/blog/golden-ribbon-hero-damons-story/

You can take action in your own state by learning more here.

Learn more about the types of sarcomas and read more stories here during our Sarcoma Awareness Month feature.

Meet Will, a forever 11 year old childhood cancer hero.

At three years old, Will was diagnosed with adrenal cancer. He immediately started chemotherapy when it was discovered that he had Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). This syndrome causes a mutation of the TP-53 gene which results in a susceptibility of several cancers. Since being diagnosed with LFS, Will underwent full body scans each year.

For four and a half years, Will was considered to have no evidence of disease(NED). In April 2018, doctors found a tumor on his left pelvic bone and began treatment for osteosarcoma. Will endured chemotherapy and surgery on his pelvic bone. The team resected a large portion of his hip bone. After his surgery, he was declared NED in February 2019. For seven months, Will remained NED until a scan in August 2019 revealed osteosarcoma in his right hip bone. Hip replacement was necessary and this time, unfortunately chemotherapy was not an option.

Will was a fierce competitor in basketball and baseball and loved playing video games with his friends. He loved the color blue because it represented many of his favorite professional teams including the New York Giants, New York Yankees and the New York Rangers.

Will was determined to not let cancer get him down. Despite his diagnosis, he continued to brighten up every room he entered and giggle helping his family and friends feel at ease. On June 2, 2020, Will passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones, after a courageous battle with pediatric cancer. According to Judy Shields, Will’s grandmother, “he was certainly a gift to the world! He taught us all how to fight and stay strong right to the end. Smart as a whip with a smile to light up a room. We will miss him forever.”

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Meet Eva, a forever 7 year old medulloblastoma warrior. Eva was a girly girl who always had her nails painted, loved playing with her brother Paddy and lived for ‘smuddles,’ a hug and squeeze from the ones she loved.

Eva was co-raised by her aunt, Tracy and her grandmother, Geraldine along with Tracy’s husband, Alan and brother, Paddy.

When Eva started to become agitated and lose her appetite, her family took note. When her uncle got married, Eva was very quiet which was very uncharacteristic of her normal sassy self. Two weeks later, Eva experienced a seizure while drinking milk. The seizure caused her to be unaware of her surroundings or her family in the room. When Geraldine called the doctor, they suggested just giving her an over the counter ear infection medication and said if things progressed to take her to the ER. Thankfully, they were able to fit her in on the same day and checked her ears. Eva was sent home with pain relief medicine. Screen Shot 2020-05-28 at 8.30.24 AM

Days before she was diagnosed, Eva started walking funny around the house and complaining of neck pain. She started demonstrating a head tilt and after many months of complaints and doctors visits, Tracy took matters into her own hands. After Eva had another seizure, Tracy took Eva back to the office and demanded to see a different doctor. This time, the doctor looked into Eva’s eyes and knew something was wrong. She excused herself from the room and called the emergency room to tell them she had a patient coming down with either a viral brain infection or medulloblastoma. The doctor noticed a very heavy buildup of fluid behind her eyes which was alarming. When the doctor came back into the room, she told the family she suspected it was a viral brain infection and that she needed an intravenous antibiotic. The doctor sent Eva in for an MRI and on October 3, 2012, Eva was diagnosed with stage 4 anaplastic medulloblastoma.

At the time of diagnosis, the doctors said they found a “mass” on Eva’s brain. The thought of “cancer” never entered Tracy’s brain and she thought it was benign. “They told us there was a mass on her brain. And you know what’s really funny about that time is when they said there was a mass on her brain, I still didn’t think it was cancer. I genuinely didn’t even know that children get cancer, isn’t that ridiculous?”

Five days after diagnosis, Eva had brain surgery to remove the golf ball size tumor. During her surgery, doctors noticed that the tumor had spread around her head and down her spine which they couldn’t touch. She was considered to be stage four at that time and was given a 30% chance of survival. During her 12 hour operation, Eva needed a blood transfusion and was watched a few days afterwards to see if she needed a shunt placed. Unfortunately she developed an infection in her brain and recovered quickly. Eva 2012 Pose

Eva was the second child in Ireland to receive the Milan protocol for the aggressive treatment of medulloblastoma. From reports, it was promised to give great results. She received a total of 12 months of chemotherapy, 6 weeks of radiotherapy twice daily and two stem cell transplants. As a result of treatment, she had nerve damage that would ultimately confine Eva to a wheelchair.

In June 2013, active treatment was complete and Eva was considered to have no evidence of disease. The next month however, Eva started to fall for no reason. Tracy called the oncologist who brought her in for another MRI. Another mass was found on her brain but not in the same spot. They found three particles but doctors did not think it was cancer. By October of 2013, Eva was unable to walk. She had lost all function and reverted into a baby. She had no control over her body, wore diapers and could not feed herself. Eva was still mentally and intellectually a four year old but unable to control her body. Screen Shot 2020-05-28 at 2.42.43 PM

When Eva lost her hair she looked at Tracy, gasped and said “look Trace, can you put that back in?!” Tracy took the hair and hid it behind her back and told her a “tall tale” about how some boys and girls hair go on a special adventure and that Eva’s hair is going on an adventure of its own which sparked an idea in Tracy. From then on, she’d tell Eva silly tales of adventures that “Hair” would go on, which became a character in their household.

Eva’s dream was to meet a princess, specifically Cinderella and for her Make-a-Wish, she was able to meet Cinderella in Disneyland in Paris. When she finally met Cinderella, Eva was completely speechless and in “awe” of her. That evening, the family was even able to have a dinner with Cinderella.

After missing so much school, Tracy decided to send Eva to a specialized school which would help with inhouse physical and occupational therapy among other specialized treatments. The school was almost 60 miles away but Eva loved it. She enjoyed the bus ride and would tell her family about her adventures every day. She would get her aide to help her play pranks on the principal and give silly nicknames to the bus driver.

Eva was put into a program at Stoke Mandeville hospital which helped her spine and brain. The family changed their life completely by changing their eating habits and supporting her immune system with the most natural ingredients. She seemed to be making good progress and even learned to feed herself again. At this time, Eva was even able to stand for 20 minutes with a standing frame.

In October 2015, Eva had seemed agitated again and by the end of October she complained of a sore neck again. She would cry at the drop of a hat and did not seem like she was in a good place. At her next doctor’s appointment, Tracy told the oncologist about her neck pain and was encouraged to wait for an upcoming MRI. Eva’s family was already aware that if she had a relapse that there was no more treatment available to her and if the treatment didn’t work, the options were to participate in a trial or to simply do nothing.

“In that entire three year period this was the only appointment I could not go to. I could not hear what the guy would say, so I sent my husband. I knew in my gut that something was wrong. I texted my husband throughout the day asking for updates. Now looking back, it was a coy way of saying nothing, but to me – it looked like hope and I took it. He responded with ‘all was well, the doctor wanted to see her again and we are on our way home’ and I didn’t think anything of it” said Tracy.

The oncologist said that there was a new trial that had existed however he felt that Eva had enough treatment and suggested morphine. Heartbroken, Tracy and her family decided to bring Eva home and keep her out of school in the middle of November. Unfortunately, Eva gained her angel wings in November of 2015.

Eva’s legacy lives on in the series, “Eva’s Adventures,” which is Tracy’s passion project. She wanted her legacy of helping people to live on and has gone on to open up a charity of her very own and a park which features a “smuddle” park bench. They have held various fundraisers which has enabled the family to donate funds to other families in need and for cancer research in Ireland.

It should be noted that in late 2014 the oncologist that initially introduced Eva into the Milan protocol presented Eva’s case at a conference. He met several other doctors that had the same experiences with the treatment. Since then, the Milan protocol is not being utilized in Ireland.

Follow Eva’s Adventures and Tracy on social media below.

Learn more about Medulloblastoma by clicking here.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

GRH Jericho Meet Jericho, a 4 year old B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia warrior.

At just 3 years old, Jericho was experiencing a swollen, bruised and spotted stomach accompanied by fevers, so his parents took him to the doctor. The pediatrician sent the family to the emergency room. His parents suspected some sort of infection but when doctors and nurses started running additional tests, they knew it wasn’t just an infection. Tests were completed overnight and the next morning doctors confirmed the leukemia diagnosis. “Our world collapsed, it changed our lives completely. We were devastated, terrified and deflated. We felt crushed for a while, then accepted it. We were ready to kick cancer” said Jami, Jericho’s mother.

Treatment began immediately with weekly chemotherapy treatments and physical therapy for the next three years. In his first month of treatment, he had a picc line placed which is now a port implant. “We were bombarded with medicines, schedules, routines that we must keep, words that we had no idea what they meant or how to properly say some of them, nurses, oncologists, anesthesiologists, child life specialists, chaplains, and all other forms of hospital staff,” remembers Jami.

Jericho has had several lumbar punctures and had a very serious allergic reaction to PEG chemotherapy. Jericho went into anaphylactic shock and received compressions for 27 minutes before regaining consciousness. On the way to the PICU he went into cardiac arrest and received compressions for an additional 13 minutes before regaining consciousness for the second time. Doctors confirmed there was no sign of brain damage so they unhooked him from monitors. Last July, Jericho’s parents decided to shave his head after several handfuls of hair began to fall out. He was so upset, but in December of 2019 his hair began growing so fast, it needed a trimming!

A year into his battle, Jericho is four years old, full of life and happiness. His family helps him celebrate small victories and make the most out of every day. He loves spending time with his family and playing with his brother, Jamison. He loves to swim, play outside, play with friends in Sunday school and play on the swings.

Follow Jericho’s story on Facebook @MarchingAroundJericho.

To learn more about Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, go here.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

Meet David, an adventurous 8-year-old DIPG warrior. He is a bear cub scout and a roller coaster enthusiast with a zest for life! david1

David Jr.’s symptoms came on quickly. Within a day his parents knew something was wrong. David was participating in his weekly jiu jitsu class when he could not roll. His grandfather brought him home and his parents noticed that his head was wobbly and tilted and he was acting goofy. David’s parents took him to the pediatrician who suggested David could have gotten into some medication. The doctor had ruled out an ear infection and possible recurrence of torticollis, a problem with the muscles of the neck that causes the head to tilt down. When David was a baby he had suffered from this condition and his parents thought this could be a recurrence. The doctor sent him home and said that if he had any headaches or was dizzy to bring him back to the office.

On April 17, 2018, David was taken back to the doctor’s office because of dizziness and a headache. The pediatrician mentioned that it might be a brain tumor, but his mother remembers laughing it off thinking it was so off course. The pediatrician advised his parents to take David to the ER for fear of a stroke. After a stat MRI, the ER doctor told them that there was a mass on David’s brain.

david3 David was brought into the PICU almost immediately where they met the oncologist who advised David and Elizabeth about David Jr.’s condition, DIPG. Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) remains one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer, with a long-term survival rate of less than 1%. After receiving the diagnosis from the oncologist, David’s parents decided they wanted to get a biopsy even though that was against the head of pediatric neurosurgery. They were advised that having the biopsy would not change the result and a cure didn’t currently exist.
David Jr.’s parents were not accepting this, so they decided to go forward with the biopsy. He received 30 days of radiation to his brainstem and then received radiation in 2019. In the summer of 2019, David made his way to Cincinnati for a trial. Unfortunately, he was denied admission because he was doing ‘too well’ to participate. The family was advised to bring him back after Christmas.

In December 2019, he lost the use of his right hand. He was on a match trial in January of 2020 and by February of 2020 he was in the ER. He was extremely lethargic and the tumor had changed. He was prescribed high dose steroids again and they waited. The first week of April during the covid pandemic, David was rushed to the hospital. This time he stayed for five days and doctors were thinking of doing radiation for the third time. In late April, David was having problems breathing. He underwent radiation for the third time and just last week he got out of bed by himself, with no assistance!

Like night and day, David went from being unable to roll, speak, move, breathe properly, and david2 swallow to talking like normal, walking normally and getting around with no assistance!

Every day, the Turner family talk about their “good day score” and last week David said he had an “11, because I got out of bed and walked by myself!” This week, he rated one day a “14” because of surprises throughout the day.

David is surprising all of the doctors with his turnaround. His family went from talking about end of life care to walking around normally. During his DIPG journey, David has remained positive. When he was initially diagnosed, his parents had pre-existing plans to take him to a popular outdoor event in his hometown and they weren’t missing it just because of the diagnosis. He told his mom that “today was the best day ever” and asked if they could come back next year. Of course they did. David’s parents were dedicated to making memories with him while he was able to get around and remember. For a 9 month diagnosis milestone, his parents celebrated with a Chuck-e-cheese party. For the one year diagnosis, his parents celebrated with a Nerf party.

“Life with David is an adventure everyday. We have done as much as we can. He went to kid prom, he has been traveling and riding roller coasters. He loves to go to the beach. We have made every day the best day ever and an adventure for him. We wanted him to have as many memories as possible” said Elizabeth. david jr

This past January, David was able to meet the Governor and Senator of Kentucky where he rummaged through their desk drawers and banged the pens on the desk. Both the Governor and Senator welcomed David and helped declare May 17 as DIPG Awareness Day. Last year 32 states got proclamations passed and this year the proclamation was signed for DIPG awareness. David even declared Ice Cream Day at the youth advocacy day in the rotunda this past January.

Follow David’s Adventures on Social Media:
Facebook: @davidsadventuredipg
Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: @davidjrmom

UPDATE: May 21, 2021 – David Jr. battled DIPG since 2018 and this morning, David passed away.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

grh haven copy

Meet Haven, a brave cancer warrior that was taken too soon. Haven fought a long battle with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for almost five years with a smile on her face and concern for people around her.

At just nine years old, Haven was experiencing fevers and swollen lymph nodes. On April 24, 2015, she was diagnosed with B-cell ALL. “We went to get blood work to see why she was having fevers and we were in utter shock hearing the word ‘leukemia,’ ” remembers Haven’s mother, Magan. Haven’s parents were fearful and heartbroken but Haven remained positive with a “let’s beat this” attitude.

Treatment started almost instantly and Haven received two and a half years of chemotherapy. She had a port placement and removal as well as a hickman placement and removal. Haven went into remission for 15 months and then relapsed again. This time, treatment consisted of four months of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant which resulted in Haven going back into remission for seven months. On December 20, 2019 Haven relapsed and sadly passed away on January 7, 2020.

Haven was very strong. When she relapsed the first time, she told her mom that ‘at least it was her and not someone who couldn’t handle it.’ One of Haven’s favorite things to do was cooking and she always wanted to feed everyone. Haven asked that her family help feed other families on the oncology floor during the holidays in honor and in memory of her. “Even on her deathbed, she was still worried about everyone else and was not scared. She was at peace knowing that her life would soon come to an end,” Magan said. Days before Haven passed she said that she was grateful that she had received the bone marrow transplant since researchers could learn from her story.

To learn more about ALL: https://www.acco.org/childhood-leukemias/

To nominate your own Gold Ribbon Hero: https://www.acco.org/gold-ribbon-heroes/

Together, we can make a difference.
Donate today because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

About American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization was founded in 1970 by parents of children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer. As the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated to childhood cancer, ACCO is committed to shaping policy, supporting research, raising awareness, and providing free educational resources to kids with cancer, survivors, and their families. Additionally, ACCO is the sole U.S. member of Childhood Cancer International (CCI) and has helped support more than half a million families over the past 50 years. Help make childhood cancer a national health priority because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

For more information about how ACCO can help your family, call 855.858.2226 or visit:

Meet Pryce, a 5 year old, cancer warrior. He loves legos, coloring and of course, his brothers and sisters.

ACCO was lucky enough to meet Pryce and his family last year after engagement on social media. Pryce’s fun personality and funny pictures compelled us to reach out. Pryce is the youngest of five children and spunky to say the least!

Leading up to Pryce’s diagnosis, he had low grade fevers and leg and hip pain. Pryce’s mom, Katie remembers, “we were blindsided. Cancer was not even on our radar.” The doctor’s continued to run tests for a few days and Katie remembers the concern on their faces. He was diagnosed in August of 2018 with stage 4 neuroblastoma.

35E78147-9C0F-428D-94DD-5CDD3612041C Treatment for Pryce included 10 rounds of chemotherapy and 8 rounds of immunotherapy. He went through 12 rounds of radiation, 2 stem cell transplants and multiple surgeries. During the last stage of treatment, the doctors found that his cancer had spread to his brain. On January 29, 2020 Pryce underwent emergency brain surgery. The doctors removed a golf ball size tumor, followed by intense treatment. Since January, Pryce has received 3 rounds of chemotherapy and 12 rounds of radiation to his brain and spine.

52993938_834166273604036_6427088640551157760_o The next phase of Pryce’s treatment will be in New York, however it has been put on hold due to the coronavirus. Currently, he is undergoing extra rounds of chemo to keep the disease stable until it is safe to travel. His next brain surgery will be to place an Ommaya port.

Through all of his treatments, Pryce has a smile on his face. He spends time FaceTiming his brothers and sisters because he misses them so much. He is a silly little boy who loves to play with his siblings and build legos (he’s built more than 300 sets since his diagnosis). Cancer does not define Pryce and he doesn’t let it hold him back.

42900721_740418436312154_371154100009566208_o Pryce’s 5th birthday is on May 2, 2020 and his family has organized a parade in his honor. Since Pryce’s wish trip to meet Mickey Mouse has been postponed, the family thought this might help him celebrate in a magical way. Join ACCO in sending Pryce birthday wishes for a most magical birthday!

Pryce will be featured in our Giving Tuesday Now campaign – learn more here.

– Update, September 2020-

Pryce has been battling stage IV neuroblastoma since August 2018. He had clear scans in August 2019; but right before the end of his treatment protocol, he relapsed. At first they believed it was disease in his skull, but they later realized it was a CNS (brain/spinal) relapse. Pryce had emergency brain surgery in January 2020 to remove a golf ball size tumor. After surgery, radiation, and chemo; his brain/CNS was clear again. His family traveled to NYC for an experimental treatment to keep his CNS clear, but before he could begin treatment, Pryce had relapsed for a second time. Pryce is currently back in Michigan undergoing a treatment that combines chemo and immunotherapy. He’ll do two rounds and then rescan to see if the treatment is working.

Amazon selected Pryce to be an Amazon + ACCO Ambassador in late August and you can find downloadable content here to share about Pryce today.

Follow Pryce’s Story on Facebook and Instagram – @PrayersforPryce EF264129-9ADB-479E-A808-9562FA2C54BD

You can help kids like Pryce by making a donation to the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Your gift will help provide educational resources and support programs for children with cancer, survivors and their families, as well as raise awareness about childhood cancer and the need for more research.

Donate

Nominate your Gold Ribbon Hero here: https://www.acco.org/gold-ribbon-heroes/

Meet Molly, a 19-year-old currently battling stage 3 anaplastic ependymoma. This warrior is currently a freshman at the University of North Carolina Greensboro studying musical theater. grh molly

A week before leaving for college, Molly experienced debilitating headaches. She went to the emergency room and was sent home with benadryl and a migraine diagnosis. After being asleep for 40 hours straight, Molly had an MRI which revealed a tennis ball size tumor. On August 15, 2019, Molly was diagnosed with stage 3 anaplastic ependymoma. That same day she was meant to move into her college dorm. Her mom said it was a complete shock, while Molly was just worried about going to school.

Treatment began almost immediately with a total resection of the brain to remove the tennis ball tumor followed by months of rehab and seven weeks of proton therapy. In January she had her first post op MRI and will keep having scans until officially cleared.

Music has been instrumental in Molly’s recovery. Three weeks after surgery, she danced for physical therapy. Within six weeks, she was on stage performing at a benefit. She wants people affected by cancer to “let yourself have bad days but know that you are strong enough to have good days too. Let people envelope you in love, because you aren’t doing this alone.”

unnamed Molly is an advocate for childhood cancer and has made some very exciting public appearances. She sang in front of 20,000 people at the Hockey Fights Cancer Night at the Blue Jackets and raised awareness at the Governor’s Mansion. In addition, she helps to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research by committing to ride a bike for 100 miles with her sisters.

Mighty Molly has been determined since day one of her diagnosis. She is a performer, singer and dreamer. She hopes to be on Broadway or a cruise ship to entertain the masses. Only six kids were chosen at UNCG for her musical theater and the spot was saved for her when she was unable to attend her first semester. Help ACCO send well wishes to Molly and her family.

To learn more about childhood cancer: https://www.acco.org/blog/childhood-brain-tumors-staging-and-prognosis-factors/

To donate because kids can’t fight cancer alone: https://www.acco.org/donate/

To nominate your Gold Ribbon Hero: https://www.acco.org/gold-ribbon-heroes/

#childhoodcancer #childhoodcancerawareness #awareness #goldribbonhero #themightymolly

Meet Lilliana, a survivor of Burkitt’s lymphoma! grh lilliana

Lilli loves to draw and paint, and is currently looking at colleges to pursue a career as a social worker.

Lilli was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 13 on September 13, 2013 and was understandably scared and upset. Shortly after her initial diagnosis, the family got a call saying it was much more serious saying they needed to pack their bags for a two week stay in the hospital. Lilli was diagnosed with stage 4 Burkitt’s lymphoma.

Treatment was intense for Lilli, she endured seven long months of chemotherapy and spinal taps. She had a port placed in her chest and shortly after had to have it removed due to a severe infection. “I faced many challenges during my treatment both physical and mental but during the whole time I never let myself get a bad attitude about any of it.

“Personally, as a 13-year-old girl, my biggest trouble was feeling confident without my hair. During that time, I did not feel pretty and the only pretty thing about myself was my hair; but, I overcame it and learned that I was beautiful no matter what” said Lilli.

On April 8, 2014 Lilli was cleared for remission and in June of 2019 she was declared out of remission! She is now 19 and attends the survivorship clinic at Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital for check ups at least once a year. Please join ACCO in sending Lilli well wishes in her future endeavors.

Lilli was featured in a Buzzfeed article about her journey. Read her firsthand story here: https://www.buzzfeed.com/lillianabailey99/childhood-cancer-gmzl5dpr8
Learn more about childhood cancer here: https://www.acco.org/types-of-childhood-cancer/

Donate to help kids like Lilli fight cancer: https://www.acco.org/donate/

Meet Naomi, a kind-hearted little girl who loves unicorns and helping people. Naomi is currently on treatment battling Pinealoblastoma, a subtype of a brain tumor and spinal cord tumor. grh naomi

Red flags started to arise after Naomi collapsed in school; she didn’t even know her name. Naomi visited the emergency room several times before doctors finally took a closer look. They found a mass in her pineal region and immediately sent her to Children’s in Cincinnati. On October 3rd, Naomi and her parents were given the diagnosis of stage four pineoblastoma with metastasis in the spine. “We got the MRI results and they took us in a big room. It took my breath. I couldn’t believe it. All I wanted to do was go grab her and hold her. We were lost” her father, Kenneth, remembers.

The treatment plan for Naomi is rigorous consisting of 30 proton radiation treatments and six months of chemotherapy. October of 2019, Naomi had four brain surgeries and doctors told the family that if they got all of the cancer and it comes back, there is nothing they can do.

Naomi is a kind soul. While in the hospital, she bagged up her Halloween candy and passed it to the children that didn’t get to go trick or treating. She is working to start a teddy bear drive to donate to the hospital. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy for the next few months. Please help ACCO by sending her well wishes!

Follow Naomi’s story here: https://www.facebook.com/naomisfight/

To learn more about childhood cancer visit: https://www.acco.org/blog/childhood-brain-tumor-cancers-detection-and-diagnosis/

To donate to help kids with cancer: https://www.acco.org/donate/

Damon’s ‘Happy’ Perspective

Tag Archives: American Childhood Cancer Organization

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

UPDATE: May 21, 2021 – David Jr. battled DIPG since 2018 and this morning, David passed away.

Together, we can make a difference.

Donate today… because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

Together, we can make a difference. Donate today because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.

About American Childhood Cancer Organization

Together, we can make a difference.
Donate today because kids can’t fight cancer alone®.