Alex was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on March 14, 2012, when he was only eight years old. He has been battling the disease ever since. Alex is in inspiration to everyone he meets. Click on his picture to hear his story about his journey in his own words.
Brent Jutze complained of soreness in his throat the first week of March, 2012. At first, we didn't think much of it. He went to the family physician on a Friday and he first diagnosed Brent as having an infected tonsil. He was given 
antibiotics and told to see him the following Monday if the swelling in his throat didn't go down. Monday came and Brent's right tonsil swelled so much it was the size of a quarter and cut off 75% of his airway. He was immediately sent to the ER from the doctor's office where an X-Ray revealed a mass was growing attached to his tonsil. March 7 was the date we were told Brent had Burkitt's Lymphoma, an aggressive, but highly treatable form of cancer. He was admitted to St. Vincent's Hospital in Toledo and that is where Brent began his 3 months of chemotherapy treatment. He endured 4 rounds of chemo, including drawing fluid off of his lower spine twice each chemotherapy session. During his second round of chemo, it was determined that Brent developed a blood clot inside his heart from the port that was put into him on his chest. The port was used to inject the medicine directly into his heart. 
The end of the port, however, was bumping against the inside wall of his heart, causing the blood clot. Brent had to endure two blood thinner shots per day for two months which were given in his stomach area. Finally, on May 30, 2012, Brent was given a clean bill of health. The port was removed and follow-up exams showed no sign of the blood clot or the disease. Brent now enters his first year "cancer free", if you can say that. Brent has many years of follow-up exams and scans to go through, but, we will do whatever it takes to make sure this dreaded disease does not return. We can't thank everyone enough for all the love and support Brent and the rest of our family has received through this ordeal. Just a simple phone call or card meant a lot to Brent.
Wade's story begins Monday, September 11, 2006. It was mid-morning and Lilly (Wade's mother) was working on schoolwork with Jacob (Wade's 8 year old brother). Wade came up to Lilly and said he was hungry. She jokingly asked Wade that he had to be kidding. She jokingly asked to see his belly, and when he lifted his shirt, she saw a lump. The lump was located on his left side, just below his ribcage. When she asked him about it, he said it did not hurt. Lilly immediately called their family physician and made an appointment for that afternoon. After an examination with the family physician, the doctor ordered a CT scan for Tuesday morning.
Tuesday’s morning started with getting Wade to drink the barium for the CT scan. He drank it down like it was a thick milkshake. He was scheduled for an 8:30 a.m. CT scan. He was great during the exam! They were then scheduled to see the family physician for the results on Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday, Wade's father (JR) took time off work to be with them while they got the results. They received the news that it could possibly be a Wilms tumor. The family physician informed them that Wade would have surgery to remove the tumor. 
Following the surgery, he could possibly have chemo and radiation depending on the results of the surgery. The family physician ordered an x-ray of the abdomen area. On the order for the x-ray, the words "Kidney cancer" were written. The words hit like a boulder (not a rock). An appointment was made for Thursday with a pediatric surgeon group at the Toledo Children's Hospital.
On Thursday, Wade, JR and Lilly met with the surgeon and surgery was scheduled for Friday morning. Wade and Lilly spent the night at the hospital for additional tests. The doctors did not waste any time.
Friday September 15th: Wade underwent a major surgery to remove the tumor, left kidney, and a few lymph nodes. During surgery, a port was placed in the center of his chest for his blood draws and to receive his chemo and any other medications. The tumor was around 4 1/2-5" in diameter and weighed around 5 lb.
Wade spent four and a half days in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and then was transferred to the Pediatric Oncology Department. The pathology report stated that he was in Stage 2 with unfavorable cells. The cancer did not spread into the lymph nodes.
Wade has undergone six radiation treatments and received his last chemo treatment on July 2, 2007. We 
give thanks to the Lord that he remains cancer free. He has had quite a journey in his battle with cancer. We continue to pray that a cure will be discovered and that no more children and their families will have to suffer.
Our journey began on Thursday, November 12, 2009 when our youngest daughter Maddy was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia at the age of 6. Earlier in the week, Maddy had been complaining of pain in her leg and was running a low grade fever. On Tuesday, Russ, her dad, took Maddy to see our family doctor who did an X-Ray and ordered some blood work. The results of the blood work came back with some peculiar findings, and we were quickly referred to St. Vincent Mercy Children's Hospital in Toledo.
We arrived at Mercy Children’s Hospital at 1:00 on Thursday. By Friday evening, the diagnosis of ALL was confirmed, Maddy had surgery to insert a port, and she had received her first round of chemo and steroids. While Russ and I just wanted to stop time, we were thankful that the doctors and nurses moved quickly to get Maddy on the road to recovery.
Over the next 15 months, we made numerous trips to Mercy Children’s Hospital chemotherapy, spinal taps, and blood transfusions. The doctors, nurses, and support staff became our new “family”. There were some months that we often spent more time in the hospital than we did at our own home.
Then, on February 3, 2011, Maddy went for her monthly chemo treatment and a spinal tap. Upon testing, the doctors found 
leukemia cells in Maddy's spinal fluid. We went back to the hospital the next day for further tests of her bone marrow. They determined that Maddy had an “Isolated Relapse of the Central Nervous System”- leukemia cells in her spinal fluid. She had relapsed! It was like we were starting all over again! Two more years of treatment, no school, no hair... our hearts were broken!
Maddy is still currently undergoing treatment. She amazes us everyday with her strength and courage! She inspires us to keep going and have a positive outlook on life.
Through all of this, our family has also been blessed to be surrounded by family and friends who have loved us, prayed for us, and given us hope.
Our family:
Dad - Russ
Mom - Dorothy
Big Sis - Julia
Maddy’s Blog:
J.T.
J.T. is a third grade boy who was diagnosed just before his fifth birthday on January 29th, 2007 with Wilms Tumor, which is a form of kidney cancer in children. The only symptoms that JT had was the stomach flu along with a small size bump on his right abdomen. As a worried mother I had him to the doctor’s office the next morning.
Dr. Winner ran a series of x-rays, ultrasound, and multiple Ct-scans. The next morning we were given the results of the test. Dr. Winner then told us that he is referring us to Toledo Children’s Hospital to meet with two oncologists, Dr. Strunk and Dr. Stein. I 
remember the drive seeming really long. John and I just kept telling ourselves he was going to be okay. His doctors removed his right kidney, which had become the size of a cantaloupe. J.T. then underwent 8 treatments of radiation, and chemotherapy for a year and a half before going into remission. He remained in good health until we had received the news in April, 2009, that he had relapsed. The spot that had remained in his left kidney, which the doctors called a nephrogenic rest, had turned into cancer. After several doctors’ opinions, he was immediately scheduled for surgery to remove the tumor and save as 
much of his left kidney as possible. Shortly after the biopsy report, J.T. was scheduled for six treatments of radiation followed by thirty-one treatments of chemotherapy. The repetitive cycle began with outpatient chemotherapy once a week followed by a two week break, and then a four day stay at the hospital for daily chemotherapy, along with Blood & Platelet transfusion. J.T. is now 8 months cancer free and he had a wonderful summer. He enjoyed playing summer ball, being with his friends and going back to school. He will be reevaluated on September 27th, 2010. Our family holds onto faith & prayers that brings victory to the fight.
Although J.T. has gone through so much at such a young age he never seems to stop amazing us throughout his journey. His bright smile and positive attitude has worn off onto the entire family as well as others. He never complained about receiving chemotherapy or having to go to the hospital; he just simply held his head high and knew he was given a big fight against his cancer. At one time during his journey he began talking about angels and heaven. That is when we knew his faith was helping him through all of his pain. J.T. is an inspiration to us all and has become a hero to our family and all of his loved ones. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, cards, and gifts. I will be so happy to give what we can to Conquer Childhood Cancer.
Anthony was 9 years old when he was diagnosed with cancer. Following is his story.
"I was diagnosed with stage 4 B-cell Leukemia Lymphoma on May 20, 2010. My cancer is in my bone marrow. I was coming home from school with back and leg pain. I went to the chiropractor and doctor for 3 weeks. I went into the emergency room on May 20th and then I was on my way to Toledo Hospital."
He will soon be going in to have his med port removed ! It was a hard year for Anthony and his family, but such a happy ending.
Kirin was born on Sept 23, 2008. He was born a day before his due date and full of life. Kirin attended a daycare where his grandma worked and was a very busy infant always figuring out a way to move, often rolling across the floor before he could crawl. He was always healthy and had no sickness in his first 1 1/2 years of life.
On the Friday June 11, 2008 Kirin woke up with a small lump on his neck. We noticed the lump and went on our day. On Saturday, the very next day, Kirin woke up from nap and the lump had grown. After calling the doctor we were told without a fever Kirin could wait to be seen on Monday at the office. We thought Kirin had an ear ache or a start of a cold. On Monday June 14 Kirin went to his appointment, after a quick look the doctor walked out of the office and return very quickly with a second doctor. I was told that Kirin was being sent straight to the hospital for further testing, but the doctor would not say why. The drive to the hospital was the longest 20 minute drive I have ever driven. 
Once we arrived we were taken right to the wing, I stopped when I read the sign above the door, Children's Cancer Wing. No one said we were going to the cancer wing till I arrived. The volunteer walked me into the wing and it seemed that my heart stopped. Within minutes doctors examined Kirin and blood was drawn, more tests were ordered and a CT scan. Within an hour we knew for sure it was cancer. Later on the CT scan a large mass was found attached to Kirin's liver, this would explain his limp he had when he walked. Kirin’s blood pressure was extremely high from the pressure of the tumor. On June 16 Kirin had the tumor on his neck removed and biopsied, the results came back stage 4 Neuroblastoma, never heard of this before June 16, 2010 but now it is a word we know well.
Kirin started his treatments that week. He endured a round of chemo and several transfusions of blood and platelets. Kirin has continued to receive many more rounds of chemo and has had a stem cell harvest in Cleveland Ohio. He will have surgery on Oct 14th, 2010 to remove some of the mass on his liver and a stem cell transplant in mid November. Our second part of treatment includes 
many rounds of radiation. Although the doctors have given us grim numbers on curing Kirin’s cancer we are staying positive. I have said before Kirin is not a statistic he is our child and we will be positive knowing this is the best medicine for Kirin. He is full of life and has touched many hearts with his courage and strength. Kirin lives with his mother, grandmother, family friend, aunt, and uncle in Perrysburg Ohio.
Nov. 5, 1999 - Nov. 20, 2011
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