Childhood Leukemia Awareness
Raising awareness for those battling childhood Leukemia by telling Carson’s story.
Carson was diagnosed with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) at only 3 years old. “Surely these bruises were from him being an active three-year-old, right?” Caron’s mom thought. After weeks of speculation and monitoring, Carson’s mom followed her “mom gut” and took him to his doctor.
While packing for a family beach trip, they received a phone call stating that they needed to bring Carson to the hospital ASAP and that they think he may have Leukemia. The very next day, the diagnosis was confirmed. From there, a treatment plan was developed and their lives were forever changed. In the last 7 months, Carson has faced intense rounds of chemo. His cancer treatment plan has included the following phases: a steroid prephase, induction, consolidation, intensification, and maintenance. Among these phases, he has had weekly clinic visits for labs, chemo, and blood products. Carson has managed to tolerate treatments with minimal side effects and hiccups. He is approaching the last phase of maintenance. Over the last few months, Carson’s treatment has included five 2-month phases... Induction, Consolidation, Interim Maintenance 1, Delayed Intensification, and Interim Maintenance 2. This phase is 8 weeks long, and then they will knock on the door of Maintenance! This is a less intense 18-month phase, where he will only go to the hospital once a month instead of weekly. He will stay in maintenance for two years. Each “cycle” of Maintenance will consist of a lumbar puncture, spinal chemo, IV chemo, and steroids at the beginning of each cycle then daily oral chemo throughout the rest of the cycle. Each cycle is about 80-90 days. Maintenance is less intense and Carson and his family are completely ready for it.
Carson’s family says that it’s the prayers and love from the community during this time that will continue to get them through this as well as their son’s spirit. Despite the constant trips to the hospital and the treatments, Carson continues to amaze everyone and does it with a smile on his face. He has adjusted to his new “norm” like a true rockstar, and his strength is inspiring. Not only is he tolerating treatments, but he is joking with nurses and making many friends along the way. Due to his current lifestyle change, Carson was pulled from the pre-school setting and is cared for by his Paw Paw twice a week. There, he gets to help raise chickens, garden and ride Paw Paw’s tractor, a few of his favorite things.
