Join TJ's Fight Against Childhood Cancer

TJ Jones is a spunky & energetic 2-year-old who loves applesauce, dinosaurs, and his sister, Jehan-Marie. TJ enjoys playing outside with friends, crawling around like the Terminator, and holding his cousin “baby Marley.” Most days, you can find TJ running around his yard with his sister, watching and feeding the neighborhood ducks, and giving hugs and kisses to all his family. TJ never fails to keep you smiling and feeling the urge to pinch his baby cheeks. TJ lives a normal and peaceful toddler life. 

We all had no idea that his life would be so different in a matter of a few days.

On the evening of March 28, the day our lives would forever be altered, TJ was potty training in the toilet, and his mother noticed blood in his urine. TJ immediately went to Urgent Care, and this began the eerie period of waiting for answers.

After CT scans, blood work, urine analysis, and a plethora of testing, TJ’s family learned that there is a tumor 10cm wide directly next to/attached to his left kidney. The devastation hit hard for everyone. TJ and his family’s world has been completely flipped upside down. Answers were still needed, but there was definitely going to be a major surgery to remove the grapefruit-sized tumor. Whether cancerous or benign, it had to get out.

Flash forward after long waits and endless nights in the hospital, it has been determined that TJ has Stage 3 Renal (kidney) cancer. The tumor is a Wilms Tumor. While kidney cancer in children is rare, this type of tumor is the most common kidney cancer in children.

On April 7, TJ had a successful 7-hour surgery to remove his kidney and the attached grapefruit-sized tumor. Surgeons also checked his inflamed lymph nodes, which confirmed there is cancerous involvement, requiring radiation therapy. TJ received a port in his chest, which will make administering chemotherapy medications smoother, aka fewer pokes and prods.

TJ will begin chemotherapy and radiation treatments after surgery recovery, hopefully starting next week, April 14.

He is in the process of healing from surgery, but with some complications and the inability to move around, eat, or drink while he initially heals, it is taking a toll on sweet TJ. TJ’s mom and dad, Elaina and Jamal, have been staying with him 24/7 at the hospital and giving him endless love and comfort. He enjoys visits from family and holding his emotional support Dino Dog.

My name is Lila, TJ’s aunt. TJ and his sister, Jehan-Marie, have always been my best buddies, and I enjoy spending time with them, dating back to holding them constantly when they were newborns. We have so many memories together, and more to come.

  I am creating this GoFundMe for TJ, my sister, and my brother-in-law. I hope to raise money for this unexpected and long journey ahead to TJ’s recovery. 

Any and all proceeds will go directly to TJ’s family.

 Donations will help TJ’s family with:

-Mounting Medical Bills

-Gas for daily commute from Va Beach to Norfolk CHKD 

-Meals

-Daily essentials while TJ’s parents focus full-time on his care, etc.

Family, friends, and the community of Virginia Beach, we know TJ is a fighter.

With your help, he won’t fight alone! I hope we can all come together to support Superhero TJ and his family, while reducing financial stress during this extremely hard time. Please donate what you can, share this page on every social media platform, and stand with us in supporting #TeamTJ as he kick’s cancer’s butt!

Whether it is $1 or $100, you will be contributing to TJ’s tough journey! 

#TEAMTJ