Blair's Brave Journey
Our little boy, Blair Fenning, has cancer. It's still hard for me to say that out loud.
At 2.5 years old, he is our sweet little blonde-haired, blue-eyed rambunctious, playful angel, and he is fighting a battle he shouldn't have to fight.
On Wednesday, October 25th, we contacted his Pediatrician about some tummy troubles he seemed to be having, including a distended abdomen. They sent us to the Emergency Room. After some bloodwork and a CT scan, they found what seemed to be a pocket of fluid - likely a ruptured appendix, they said. They sent us to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital in Portland, Maine via ambulance. We rode through Lewiston, ME while the paramedics and news reporters told us that all around us one of the worst mass shootings in our nation's history was going on, while my little boy looked on with a wide, exhausted stare, and my husband drove behind us the hour and half drive to Barbara Bush.
Once we arrived, they began all the tests, bloodwork, scans, and then eventually surgery. After a quick ultrasound before surgery, they discovered that the pocket of fluid was actually a solid mass, a tumor, and due to its sheer size and location, likely a cancerous one. They did a biopsy and sent us home to be with our two daughters. And we waited.
After what felt like eons, we got the call on Halloween - It's cancer. Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma - a cancer of the soft muscle tissue. The oncologist informed us that little Blair would be undergoing 42 weeks of chemotherapy, including weekly visits for the injections, monthly overnight visits at Barbara Bush with intensive chemotherapy, surgery, and likely radiation eventually as well. She told us this is considered an aggressive form of cancer, but that she is hopeful that they can cure it.
We're hopeful, too. We know that Blair is strong. Even at just 2.5 years old, we know he can beat this. And we'll be there for him every single step of the way. But we could also use your help. The cost of 42 weeks of chemotherapy, surgeries, and more, not to mention the gas to travel to all of it, will be astounding. Anything you can offer will help, and we appreciate anything. Love and prayers are always appreciated as well. Thank you all for taking the time to read our story and for all of your help.
-Blair and Sara Fenning
