When our son Colton was diagnosed with a rare bleeding disorder at birth in 2002, our family entered a world we were unsure of. No one in either of our families dealt with a chronic illness. Our first year was rough. We had no idea how to protect our son from internal bleeding. We depended […]
Teen Group for oncology patients finds a friend in NBA’s Matthew Dellavedova
The “Teen Group” at Akron Children’s Hospital’s Showers Family Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders is a support group for oncology patients who have been or are being treated at Akron Children’s. I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, which is a childhood cancer of the bone marrow and blood) when I was 16 years old. […]
Journey from Mexico was last hope for boy with leukemia
When their son Eduardo’s leukemia returned last year, Javier and Guadalupe Canada were out of options. The couple didn’t have access to advanced pediatric cancer care where they lived in Calpulalpan, Mexico. They hoped to bring Eduardo to the United States for treatment, but they were unable to get visas. Eduardo, however, was born in […]
Tragedy strikes twice in two weeks for Youngstown mom and daughter
Two weeks after her father died of a sudden illness, 2-year-old Nya Williams was diagnosed with cancer. It came out of the blue, said Nya’s mother. She pondered her suddenly changing future during a life flight ride from Boardman to Akron where a leukemia diagnosis would be confirmed. “I kept asking myself, ‘What did I […]
Austintown family is tougher together as they battle leukemia Parents draw strength from bravery of 5-year-old son with cancer
Lori and Oscar Hoit of Austintown are still waiting for their “new normal” to kick in after their son, Connor, was diagnosed with leukemia last year. Until then, it’s one day at a time, if not one second at a time, as they try to adjust to their new lives as parents of a child […]
Cancer Diagnosis Proves the Faith, Bond of Youngstown Family
Five-year-old Eva Xu’s mother called her daughter’s cancer diagnosis a ‘blessing in disguise’ for how it brought their family closer and exposed an inner strength they didn’t realize they had. “Even though it’s a horrible thing, it all depends on how you look at it,” said Eva’s mother, Michelle Chen of Youngstown. “We’ve grown so […]
