Dylan is a smart, athletic 13 year old kid with a great sense of humor. Midway through the winter basketball season his left heel began hurting. We brought him in to the Orthopedic Doctor in early February and he was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. 8 weeks later it still wasn't getting better, and after he ran the mile in school he couldn't even walk on his foot. We brought him back in and they did an X-ray, after the X-ray they ordered an MRI, after the MRI they referred us to the Mayo Clinic for a 6cm x 3cm x 3cm mass in his left ankle/heel. We arrived at the Mayo not sure what to expect...The Oncologist suggested possible cancer which was hard to accept. 7 days after our initial visit and a whirlwind of Doctor appointments later, Dylan was diagnosed with Malignant Ewing's Sarcoma. He is undergoing several more tests this week, and on Monday 6/5 he will go under for a discovered lung nodule biopsy, a bone marrow biopsy of his hips, and a Portocath surgically implanted into his upper chest. The Portocath will allow the doctors to administer chemotherapy medicine, fluids, and probable blood transfusions over the next 28 weeks. He will have to undergo chemo treatment's every 2 weeks for 6 months, with alternating treatments of 5 days and 1 day. Dylan will likely go into surgery to remove the mass inside his ankle bone after 6 sessions. He was well educated on how hard chemo will be, and that all of his hair will fall out (sorry ladies)... After it is all said and done Radiation treatment will likely occur to ensure all cancer cells are destroyed.
Dylan has been in such good spirits throughout (despite a few expected tough times) and we feel strong as a family. He understands that a positive attitude is of the greatest importance and that strength comes from within. The Doctors love him and he talks every one of there ears off, and his charm shines bright with every nurse he encounters. :)

Please help the Bourassa's in any way you can!  They will be missing alot of work and have many medical expenses in the weeks and months to come.  Let's help take some of the stress off of them so they can focus on helping Dylan kick this cancer in the butt!

#DYLANSTRONG