Meet our young warriors

Meet Robert – Leukemia Warrior

Kasie said that her son “does it all with a smile and a laugh like no other."

Robert was six years old when his mother noticed that he always seemed to be exhausted and had deep, dark circles under his eyes. When that was followed by a swollen belly and bruises covering his entire body, Robert’s mother, Kasie, was extremely worried. They hurried to the hospital to find out what could possibly be the cause and once the blood work was completed, doctors had nothing but bad news – Robert had leukemia. “Your world is immediately sent into chaos…” said Kasie.

Robert was considered cancer-free until he went to his one month checkup where their world flipped yet again. Robert’s cancer was back and this time, it was more aggressive. At 12 years old, he thought the worst was finally behind him. Doctors at his local hospital in Atlanta did not know what other treatments to try. They directed him to a Seattle hospital that was offering a clinical trial which could possibly help him beat cancer a second time.

Between going to their local hospital and traveling to Seattle, Kasie felt the pressure of costs rising and said it was like being under a “sinking ship.” Support from the NCCS’s Travel Assistance Fund helped Robert get to his appointments in Atlanta as well as assist his family with their trips to Seattle. Understandably, Robert was terribly upset by the news of his remission but he was able to change his outlook and maintain a positive attitude through his next round of treatment. Kasie said that her son “does it all with a smile and a laugh like no other.”