Leukemia won't win against TEAM JACOB!

"Everything changed in three days."

The week before Labor Day, the Abbinanti family was back to school. Jacob (11) had just started 6th grade, Dylan (10) in 5th, and parents James and Lisa (Schmit) Abbinanti returned to teach another year in their elementary classrooms. Gearing up for the annual end-of-summer trip to Pennsylvania for a family barbeque and a cousin's birthday, a curious rash and fever prompted Lisa to make a telehealth call to the pediatrician for Jacob before traveling. The doctor ordered some labwork and prescribed rest in the meantime.

Saturday morning, Lisa got a call from the doctor with results from the bloodwork showing extremely high WBC counts (250,000+) and deficient platelets. Lisa was advised to take Jacob immediately to a hospital to see a pediatric hematologist. As Lisa and Jacob drove 43 miles to Johns Hopkins, the rest of the family was notified. Plans for a weekend of carefree swimming and joyful celebration were exchanged for uncertainty and anxious anticipation of news of Jacob's condition.

Expecting the doctors to tell her that Jacob had a blood infection, Lisa was blindsided in the ER by the news that her 11-year-old son had leukemia. Jacob was hastily admitted to the ICU. Grammy and Grampy rushed down to the house to stay with Dylan so that Dad could reunite with Mom and Jake at the hospital.

More testing rapidly determined the type of leukemia plaguing his young body: Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia also called ALL. Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer in which the bone marrow makes too many immature lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell).

The specific ALL type in Jacob's body is T-ALL, because it targets the T-cells. With T-ALL, too many stem cells become T lymphocytes. These cells are also called leukemia cells. These leukemia cells do not work like normal lymphocytes and are not able to fight infection very well. Also, as the number of leukemia cells increases in the blood and bone marrow, there is less room for healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, which may lead to infection, anemia, and easy bleeding.

This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. Children 10 years and older and children with a white blood cell count of 50,000/µL or more at the time of diagnosis are in the high-risk category. Chemotherapy and steroid treatment started within 24 hours of diagnosis.

Jacob has had multiple blood transfusions to raise his platelet counts and reduce the risk of bleeding. His blood has been responding well to the chemotherapy, and his white blood cell counts have dropped low enough to permit a discharge from the hospital. However, a large and risky blood clot has recently developed along his PICC line (in his arm), and blood thinners have been added to his treatment. He is also now suffering many side effects from the chemotherapy and medications.

Jacob is a bright kid who understands T-ALL and his medical interventions. We are thankful that between treatments, he can now rest at home with Mom, Dad, younger brother Dylan (10), and his puppy Toby (1). Life, as we've known it, has been suddenly and unexpectedly flipped upside-down for all of the Abbinanti and Schmit family members. Grieving the changes and accepting the reality that we are now a family battling cancer is complex and challenging. Jacob and his family choose to focus on one day at a time, to stay positive and courageously fight together for his health and life.

Leukemia won't win against TEAM JACOB!

About this fundraiser:

Jacob and his family live in Western Maryland and travel twice a week to Baltimore to receive cancer treatment and periodic testing at Johns Hopkins Hospital (nearly 100 miles round-trip). James Abbinanti, Jacob's Dad, has returned to his teaching position to support his family financially. Lisa (Schmit) Abbinanti, Jacob's Mom, has taken extended leave for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year to care for Jacob and to support him with his home/hospital education.

The funds from this fundraiser will help support medical and travel costs and offset lost income. We greatly appreciate your prayers, encouragement, and financial contributions as an outpouring of your love, care, and concern for Jacob and Team Abbinanti.

Kathy Schmit, Jacob's aunt, is the organizer for this fund and lives in Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. You can contact Kathy via the link below if you have questions or prefer to mail a card or gift directly to Jacob and his family at their Maryland home.