Liam...

The doctor who first diagnosed cancer in Liam came into the room with tears in her eyes. She told Liam's mother, Gina, that her son had leukemia, and that she would pray for them. "When my doctors go to God instead of medicine, I get a little nervous," Gina says.

When Liam was not yet 4 years old, a round circle appeared on his foot. His parents, Gina and Jeremy, dismissed it as ringworm, and it quickly went away. Within a few days, spots had appeared all over Liam's legs and he felt tired, with no appetite. Gina knew that something was wrong.

When a blood test revealed leukemia, the family was referred to an oncologist in the next town, who dismissed the diagnosis, saying that Liam just had a particularly bad virus. A bone marrow aspirate revealed no cancer, but two weeks later, the oncologist called back and said that what Liam actually had was worse than leukemia. Gina asked if it was survivable, and the doctor replied "not very."

Myelodysplastic syndrome has a 75 percent rate of relapse, and survival depends entirely on a bone marrow transplant. Even so, her doctor discouraged her from the procedure. Gina and Jeremy turned instead to St. Jude, a hospital with experience in successfully treating Liam's condition.

At St. Jude, Liam underwent one transplant and eight days of high-dose chemotherapy and radiation.

Gina says that she expected St. Jude to be a somber place, full of whispers and tissues and doctors who couldn't look parents in the eye. What she found was a happy place full of laughing, playing children.

Precocious Liam now talks about how he will pay for college, and he has found someone he would like to marry. Gina feels great hope from knowing that college and a full life may once again be an option for Liam. She says, "I didn't think there was a chance he would survive, and now I kind of forget that he might not."

Recently, the family received terrific news—the donor cells are taking over from the unhealthy cells. Liam's disease is in remission, and he has a fighting chance. He visits St. Jude monthly for maintenance.

back to Leukemia News Home

back to top

NOTE: This web site is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice. The information provided through this site should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider