Help Waylon Beat Cancer!

My name is Allison and I have created this page on behalf of my sweet cousin, Kendyl, and her little boy, Waylon, who is fighting a fight that no child should ever have to go through.

Waylon is such a sweet little boy and a joy to everyone who knows him. He loves animals, especially dogs, and just finished up his second season of soccer. He is kind-hearted with plans to volunteer at an animal shelter and to put together kits of necessities to hand out to the homeless. His teachers brag on him for being so caring and he helps his classmates when they need it. Waylon loves people and is very outgoing. He has never met a stranger and loves to tell jokes and make others laugh. He loves to play Fortnite and Minecraft. He’s a music junkie that loves to jam out in the car and have dance competitions with his mom. All of this is just a testament to what a loving, playful boy he is!

On April 29th, Waylon was diagnosed with pre B Acute cell lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), but we should start at the beginning - even if this leads to nothing else, it’s very important to Kendyl to tell the story of how this sweet boy was diagnosed so that other parents and caregivers can look out for these symptoms. So please read his story and share, even if you cannot donate.

Waylon’s troubles started off with a chronic cough that wouldn’t go away. The doctors didn’t think much of it. About two weeks before his diagnosis, he began not eating much, which is very unusual for him. The week of April 18th, he would randomly spike a low-grade fever in the afternoons and had all of the symptoms of a stomach bug. This continued on and off and they treated the symptoms at home as you normally would until the following Monday when he seemed dehydrated. The doctor’s diagnosed him with a viral stomach bug and bronchitis and sent him home with medication. A couple of days later, he was still struggling with this stomach bug so he stayed home with Granny (Laura, that we all know and love!). Thursday they were thinking of letting him go to school since he had been fever free for over a day, but he went back to sleep within an hour of Kendyl leaving Laura’s house and she knew that something wasn’t right. She made him another doctor’s appointment for 2:00 and in the meantime, he slept all day and did not eat, which, again, is unusual for him being such an energetic little boy. Kendyl had a bad gut feeling and waited on pins and needles to hear what the doctor would say. The doctor finally ordered blood work, and his CBC (complete blood count) levels were all over the place. He was admitted to the children’s hospital and Kendyl rushed to meet them there.

They ordered more blood work to confirm the unusual levels and they were still out of whack. He was pale and needed a blood transfusion, platelets, and IV fluids. Late that night, they received the news that would change their lives. The doctor let them know that his condition was serious and could be cancer. A hematologist oncologist rushed to the hospital to talk to Kendyl, Kyle and Waylon’s dad. She told them that it was a blood cancer but she wasn’t yet positive what type it was. She ordered a bone marrow biopsy and the procedure was done the next day, and confirmed to be pre B Acute cell lymphocytic leukemia (ALL).

Waylon has a long road of treatment ahead of him. He is in the induction phase of treatment now where he receives two types of chemotherapy every Tuesday with occasional spinal infusions. This is something no parent ever wants for their child and is very overwhelming, so we would like to take some of the worry off of Waylon’s parents by collecting donations to help cover his treatment plan. Any amount helps, whether big or small! Even if you cannot donate, PLEASE take the time to share this story with everyone you know. Some of the smallest, most typical symptoms for children can be signs of a blood cancer, such as frequent illnesses (stomach bugs, ear infections, etc.), bone pain (which can be misinterpreted as growing pains), random fevers, bruising easily, and loss of appetite. If you notice any of these signs in your child, ask for blood work as many times as it takes until the tests are ordered.

Waylon is a perfect picture of what any mother would hope for their son to be. He is such a sweet soul and is usually so full of life, and it’s heartbreaking to see him so sick and exhausted. Let’s all pray for Kendyl and her family, and for Waylon so that he can get back to his usual, fun-loving self. After all, he has big plans! He wants to try football, volunteer to work with animals and to help those less fortunate. A world like this sure could use his kindness and he deserves to grow up to show everyone what he can do!

You can follow his Facebook page for updates at https://www.facebook.com/groups/570906774250347.

#WayWildStrong