Early one morning in April 2021, Christian woke up with severe shoulder and arm pain. Later that week, X-rays revealed a pathologic fracture of his humerus (bone breaks without trauma, weakened by a tumor or some other disease).

On May 5, 2021 (Christian's 16th birthday), an MRI confirmed every parent's worst nightmare! Christian was diagnosed with bone cancer, specifically osteosarcoma, an aggressive type of bone cancer. The cancer had invaded his left humerus bone and the central deltoid muscle. A full body bone scan later revealed evidence of metastatic disease, a second lesion on his spine.

Christian began treatment on May 25, 2021, with standard chemotherapy for osteosarcoma, a treatment regimen that has not changed for more than 40 years. After completing 10 weeks of high-dose, toxic chemotherapy, Christian underwent limb-salvage surgery, requiring months of rehabilitation. Following surgery, Christian endured another 20 weeks of chemotherapy to ensure all tumor cells were eradicated from the body. Christian rang the celebratory bell upon completion of this first-line treatment for osteosarcoma on January 7, 2022. Sadly, the family received devastating news just 3 1/2 weeks later. PET/CT scans following treatment completion revealed metastatic osteosarcoma to other bony sites. This means the first-line treatment was unsuccessful at slowing disease progression and preventing new lesions.

Following the biopsy to confirm new osteosarcoma sites, Christian began his second battle with cancer. He endured intensive second-line chemotherapy and high-dose radiation treatments. Side effects from the week-long chemotherapy treatments sent Christian to the Emergency Department and he was readmitted with neutropenic fevers and other complications after each chemotherapy cycle.

Unfortunately, this stubborn cancer continues to progress, and Christian is currently on a fourth chemotherapy regimen as well as proton radiation therapy treatment at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Christian has been bravely fighting this cancer battle for 19 months yet he never complains. He continues to be a source of hope and joy for his family and friends. After having a left arm resection and shoulder replacement and numerous rounds of chemotherapy at Inova L.J. Murphy Children's Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Pediatric Oncology Center in Baltimore, Maryland, the search continues for an effective treatment that will help Christian beat his cancer.

Before cancer changed his life, Christian played on his high school freshman football team and had aspirations of going to college with a football scholarship. Christian had also been accepted to the Academies of Loudoun to study computer networking. All these hopes and opportunities came to an end in May of 2021.

Extensive medical bills and associated treatment center traveling expenses have taken quite a toll on the Hernandez family financially and emotionally. Of course, they want to provide the best care for Christian and continue to search for available treatments. Unfortunately, some of these may not be covered by insurance or are cost-prohibitive.

Christian is hopeful there is still a chance to beat his cancer and he deserves a fighting chance after enduring such a long and difficult battle. Finances should not be an obstacle to obtaining treatment.

Please join us in praying for complete healing in Christian’s body, and please consider donating to help Christian’s family during this arduous time. Thank you for loving and praying for this sweet “Gentle Giant'' of a boy.

TEAM CHRISTIAN Faith. Hope. Fight.