Our Sam, Sam The Man
Donation protected
In late July 2014, Sammy was playing in waist high water in the Outerbanks of North Carolina when he dove to catch a ball. This simple dive, put him in excruciating pain and landed him in what his family thought was a quick trip to get checked out at the local Urgent Care. This trip began the year long journey that Sammy is about to face.
Once Sammy arrived at Urgent Care, he was assessed and quickly taken by ambulance to the Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters (CHKD). He was diagnosed with what doctors thought was a lacerated kidney upon his arrival. While this was certainly a fluke laceration, Sammy's family trusted in their doctors and he was able to stay comfortably, rest and recuperate there for the following week. The Hampton Roads community rallied around Sammy and his family throughout this time, and were so excited that he was able to come home.
Fast Forward a few weeks, and a family Social Work friend with St. Jude's contacted the family to ask Sammy to get checked out a little more closely. With this request, Sammy's world was quickly turned upside down. Emily, Sammy's Mom, worked in conjuction with St. Judes hospital to have all of his tests and results sent to Memphis so that a board of physicians could take an extra look at his tests. This board quickly requested another CT scan and Ultrasound of the laceration for further review at his home hospital, CHKD. It was at this time that a large mass was found on his kidney, and what doctors had previously thought was a laceration was indeed an 11cm growth. Later on that same week, Sammy was scheduled for removal of his left kidney and the mass at CHKD.
To say surgery day was overwhelming for all was an understatement, but the community once again rallied around Sammy and his family. The waiting room was full of supporters in Red, praying and waiting anxiously to hear that Sammy was fine and the tumor was gone. The CHKD doctors were amazing at keeping the family up to date throughout his nearly 4 hour surgery. It was at the end of this surgery that the family was told that his tumor was not an 11cm mass as previously thought, but rather a 15cm malignant tumor. This malignant tumor was diagnosed as Stage 3 Wilms Cancer, which brings us to present day.
Sammy faces a long road of chemotherapy and radiation while he fights this cancer. He will spend many days away from school, and nearly every day at CHKD while he undergoes his treatment.
It would be a blessing if Sammy's community could rally around him once more. It is known at this point that Sammy will need disposable items in his home to help keep germs at bay, daily travel expenses back and forth, along with funds to help with what is sure to be a long uphill battle.
Once Sammy arrived at Urgent Care, he was assessed and quickly taken by ambulance to the Childrens Hospital of the Kings Daughters (CHKD). He was diagnosed with what doctors thought was a lacerated kidney upon his arrival. While this was certainly a fluke laceration, Sammy's family trusted in their doctors and he was able to stay comfortably, rest and recuperate there for the following week. The Hampton Roads community rallied around Sammy and his family throughout this time, and were so excited that he was able to come home.
Fast Forward a few weeks, and a family Social Work friend with St. Jude's contacted the family to ask Sammy to get checked out a little more closely. With this request, Sammy's world was quickly turned upside down. Emily, Sammy's Mom, worked in conjuction with St. Judes hospital to have all of his tests and results sent to Memphis so that a board of physicians could take an extra look at his tests. This board quickly requested another CT scan and Ultrasound of the laceration for further review at his home hospital, CHKD. It was at this time that a large mass was found on his kidney, and what doctors had previously thought was a laceration was indeed an 11cm growth. Later on that same week, Sammy was scheduled for removal of his left kidney and the mass at CHKD.
To say surgery day was overwhelming for all was an understatement, but the community once again rallied around Sammy and his family. The waiting room was full of supporters in Red, praying and waiting anxiously to hear that Sammy was fine and the tumor was gone. The CHKD doctors were amazing at keeping the family up to date throughout his nearly 4 hour surgery. It was at the end of this surgery that the family was told that his tumor was not an 11cm mass as previously thought, but rather a 15cm malignant tumor. This malignant tumor was diagnosed as Stage 3 Wilms Cancer, which brings us to present day.
Sammy faces a long road of chemotherapy and radiation while he fights this cancer. He will spend many days away from school, and nearly every day at CHKD while he undergoes his treatment.
It would be a blessing if Sammy's community could rally around him once more. It is known at this point that Sammy will need disposable items in his home to help keep germs at bay, daily travel expenses back and forth, along with funds to help with what is sure to be a long uphill battle.
Organizer
Missy Taylor Christianson
Organizer
Virginia Beach, VA
