Liam McCalmon Cancer Support
On July 17th our 9 year old son, Liam, wanted to show us how “big” his calf muscle in his right leg had grown over the summer. The only problem was, the muscle in question was on the exterior of his right leg and it certainly was not a muscle.
After a visit to urgent care and subsequent ultrasound, we were saddened to learn of the potential tumor in Liam’s leg.
Liam was immediately scheduled for a follow up MRI as well as a biopsy, among many other tests where we were presented with the diagnosis. Rhabdomyosarcoma. A rare form of cancer found in roughly 350 pediatric patients per year. In a population of 330 million people in the United States, this equates to a 0.000001% chance of developing this form of cancer.
Liam’s journey through this process will be a difficult one. Chemotherapy will start August 6th, one day after his 10th Birthday. This will continue for at least 40 weeks. He will lose all of his hair after 3-4 weeks of chemotherapy. After roughly 10 weeks of chemotherapy, the medical team will evaluate the tumor to consider surgery as an option to remove the tumor.
Liam is currently classified as stage 3, group 3 which is based on the size, location and other known factors. He will have a lymph node biopsy as well as a bone marrow biopsy, PET scan and CT scan to look for potential spread of the cancer through his body. As information becomes available, his classification could potentially be upgraded.
Liam has an amazing heart and a beautiful perspective on life. He is not afraid of what the future holds. His courage and bravery in the face of such an unfortunate diagnosis is a testament to his trust and faith in Jesus Christ. We, along with Liam have peace in our hearts as we walk through this valley. A peace that can only come from God. Liam has been nothing short of a living ministry and testament to his faith and continues to carry his head high with optimism and hope.
His love for sports and physical activities has not slowed down (yet). He is ready to start the fall season of little league baseball and accepts that due to his treatment, he might not get to play but as long as he is with his team, he will be happy.
Please prayerfully consider donating to the Liam McCalmon Cancer Support. This will help alleviate some of the financial stressors they will face. No donation is too small. On behalf of Dan, Nicole, Jackson, Emma Grace and of course, Liam, thank you for the continued support through this time.
This account was set up by Amy Owens, family friend to Dan and Nicole.
The funds will be transferred directly to the McCalmon’s bank account.
