Benny is a lively, joyful, smiling ray of sunshine who has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 19 months old. He is the youngest of 4 boys and instantly charms anyone that meets him.

Benny has been in the hospital since Thursday, April 11 and just received his diagnosis after a bone marrow biopsy on April 16.

Today, he is getting a central line inserted and getting his first dose of chemotherapy. If that goes well, he will be discharged at the end of this week to return home.

The current plan is for Benny to get a dose of chemo every Wednesday for 4 weeks, after which he will start phase 2 and his central line will be replaced with a port for easier access for his chemo treatments. The port can stay in as long as needed to fully treat the leukemia.

Even though he is still very sick, Benny is being a typical toddler and desperately wants to leave his room, though he is not allowed to try to keep his exposure to other germs to a minimum. Besides that, he is in good spirits and loves playing with his new dragon, Champ, the Spiderman plane that the hospital has for him to play with, and watching Blippi.

Benny's parents are Ashleigh and Nick. Ashleigh is currently staying in the hospital with Benny and Nick is going back and forth between their home and the children's hospital where Benny is being treated (about an hour drive each way) every day.

Ashleigh's vacation and sick leave runs out at the end of this week and after that, they will no longer be getting a pay check at all unless she is able to go in to the office after Benny is at home. We are raising funds to help cover medical expenses and co-pays that they will incur, as well as gas and food when they are traveling to and from the hospital. Ashleigh will not lose her job because she isn't able to be there while he is in the hospital, but she also won't be getting paid. Through all of the uncertainty right now, Nick and Ashleigh are clinging to God and know that He is the only way through this. If you can't donate, please join me in prayer for each of them, and for Benny's team of doctors, to do what's best for Benny, for him to heal as quickly as possible, and for Benny's family to continue to give all honor and glory to our ultimate Healer.