Join Desmond's Battle Against Lymphoma

Sometimes, life ambushes you. It comes out of nowhere and turns you upside down. Over the Fourth of July Holiday, our son Desmond was diagnosed with T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

This spring, Desmond had been experiencing a fuller face that we attributed to a growth spurt. Everything else seemed normal as he still actively hiked, biked, competed in soccer, and played with his brothers. However, the swelling progressively worsened, so we took him to his pediatrician.

After unsuccessful treatment with allergy medications, a chest x-ray revealed a large anterior mediastinal mass in his chest above the heart. An urgent trip to the ER and a CT scan showed the mass compressing his Superior Vena Cava and his breathing tube (SVC syndrome). Due to the threat to his heart and airway, Desmond took a life flight on June 28 to Children's Hospital Colorado in Denver for round-the-clock monitoring, diagnostics, and treatment.

Desmond started steroid treatment shortly after arriving in Denver and received his first chemo treatment on July 6. After just a few days of treatment, the mass has shrunk by 20%. However, the compression on the SVC remains an issue as it's created a blood clot in his SVC. Desmond will continue chemotherapy every four days in Denver for the next month, followed by weekly treatments for the next six to nine months.

Dez's road to recovery is long, but his attitude and perspective have been unbelievable. I don't know how we got a kid who is so brave and undaunted by his terrible circumstances. He told us, “I am not scared of the cancer; God has got this.” We have received so many comments from the staff about how amazed they are by him and how he is doing overall.

We appreciate all the prayers, support, and good thoughts as we navigate how to continue treatment in Denver while our family remains stationed with the Air Force in South Dakota. We know our boy is strong and a fighter.

Close Family: Chad & Sandy, Desmond (10), Wyatt (7), and Zeke (5)