Colin Kicks Cancer
Donation protected
The week of august 10th, 2020 my supervisor came up to me and said, “we’re getting a new boy in clinic and he’s 3 years old. Would you like to be on his case?” Without hesitation, I said yes. I just started my journey as an ABA therapist and the thought of both of us starting something new together seemed fun. August 13th came and in walks the cutest little long haired dude. Colin was, and still is, the most special little guy. I don’t say this because he has autism but because he really is the sweetest boy. When I tell you all my fellow techs melted when he blessed us with his presence, I mean it. He has a smile that will brighten anyone’s day. His cute little brother, Emmett, does too. I was lucky enough to be his tech at our clinic and be the tech to work with him and his family in their home. Covid really sucked but it brought some hidden blessings my way; The Boyd family being the biggest one of them all.
Fast forward to the end of February 2021 I transitioned to a new company and I was going to continue working part time with Colin. (cause let’s face it, I couldn’t leave my little bud) Work was going as work should but things with Colin were becoming a little strange. He started walking funny and his mom, other techs and I thought he may have hurt himself. He started walking with a limp as if he had a soreness to him with each step. We took things easy with therapy and we listened to Colin and his body because if I’ve forgotten to mention, he is non-speaking. He was diagnosed with Autism in January of 2020. Beginning of March rolls around and Colin still has something funky going on. March 4th/5th Caitlin, Colins mom, tells me she’s taking Colin to urgent care because he’s not going to the bathroom normally. Tests were run but there were no signs of issues and the main concern was the soreness in his hip/leg he was experiencing. March 7th is a day I’ll never forget. Cait sends me a picture of a lump she found on his lower back while he was giving her snuggles. March 7th was the start of a long journey.
On March 7th Colin and his dad, Garret, spent the day at our local hospital. The hospital ran tests, did scans, and realized that whatever was going on with Colin should be handled by pediatric doctors in Sacramento. March 8th he had a biopsy done and by the 9th he was being moved to the oncology floor. By March 10th doctors, oncologists, and pathologists from Harvard had come to the conclusion that the lump, was actually a spindle cell tumor on his hip and Colin has cancer. The most positive news we received this week was that his bone scans showed his cancer was localized to one area and Colin was finally going to the bathroom normally. By the end of Colins week long hospital stay, on March 15th, he was officially diagnosed with Stage 3 Rhabdomyosarcoma. Luckily, which is weird to say given the situation, his bone marrow results showed no sign of cancer in his bones. When I tell you this was one of the hardest weeks...Cait and Garrets whole world was completely flipped upside down.
I feel that some details should be added to this so people understand just how fast this turn of events unfolded. February 5th Colin turned 4 and March 5th Cait was celebrating her birthday. To top things off, in between the birthday celebrations Cait and Garret were beyond excited to share the news of welcoming their third child, a baby girl. So many exciting milestones and one daunting nightmare.
On March 15th after one literal hell of a week, Colin and Garret finally got to come home. Cait had all of her loves under the same roof again. I wish I could say that they lived happily ever like the end of every good Disney movie but the journey goes on. Colin is on a 42 week treatment plan involving intense chemotherapy and radiation. His other therapies are on hold at the moment. I left the company we both started together and I’m happy to be part of the fam but also his respite provider when they need extra hands on deck. When people say “it takes it village” they really mean it. No one deserves receiving news about cancer but ESPECIALLY not this family. Not Colin. Having autism is a journey of its own. Not being able to communicate to Colin about what’s happening or Colin not being able to tell us what he’s going through is extremely tough as well. As hard and tough as it has been and will be, this family is incredible. Colin is resilient. His fight is our fight and we’ll make sure to do whatever we can to make sure he beats the hell out of this.
Cait and Garret have done phenomenal but this isn’t something they should have ever had to experience. I think I speak for everyone supporting them when we say we wish we could take it all away.
I’m starting this gofundme to raise funds for two important reasons. Part of the money raised will go to Cait and Garret to use for Colin and their needs. The other part will be donated to Courageous Hearts.
Courageous hearts is an organization created by Leola Cooper. Leola, unfortunately, lost her mother to Stage 4 breast cancer 16 years ago. After experiencing the love, help, and guidance from others during her mother’s fight, she decided to make this organization to return the support to others. Courageous hearts shows their love and support in the best way by preparing care packages for children battling cancer and I want to give help where I can, with your help, through this gofundme.
Fast forward to the end of February 2021 I transitioned to a new company and I was going to continue working part time with Colin. (cause let’s face it, I couldn’t leave my little bud) Work was going as work should but things with Colin were becoming a little strange. He started walking funny and his mom, other techs and I thought he may have hurt himself. He started walking with a limp as if he had a soreness to him with each step. We took things easy with therapy and we listened to Colin and his body because if I’ve forgotten to mention, he is non-speaking. He was diagnosed with Autism in January of 2020. Beginning of March rolls around and Colin still has something funky going on. March 4th/5th Caitlin, Colins mom, tells me she’s taking Colin to urgent care because he’s not going to the bathroom normally. Tests were run but there were no signs of issues and the main concern was the soreness in his hip/leg he was experiencing. March 7th is a day I’ll never forget. Cait sends me a picture of a lump she found on his lower back while he was giving her snuggles. March 7th was the start of a long journey.
On March 7th Colin and his dad, Garret, spent the day at our local hospital. The hospital ran tests, did scans, and realized that whatever was going on with Colin should be handled by pediatric doctors in Sacramento. March 8th he had a biopsy done and by the 9th he was being moved to the oncology floor. By March 10th doctors, oncologists, and pathologists from Harvard had come to the conclusion that the lump, was actually a spindle cell tumor on his hip and Colin has cancer. The most positive news we received this week was that his bone scans showed his cancer was localized to one area and Colin was finally going to the bathroom normally. By the end of Colins week long hospital stay, on March 15th, he was officially diagnosed with Stage 3 Rhabdomyosarcoma. Luckily, which is weird to say given the situation, his bone marrow results showed no sign of cancer in his bones. When I tell you this was one of the hardest weeks...Cait and Garrets whole world was completely flipped upside down.
I feel that some details should be added to this so people understand just how fast this turn of events unfolded. February 5th Colin turned 4 and March 5th Cait was celebrating her birthday. To top things off, in between the birthday celebrations Cait and Garret were beyond excited to share the news of welcoming their third child, a baby girl. So many exciting milestones and one daunting nightmare.
On March 15th after one literal hell of a week, Colin and Garret finally got to come home. Cait had all of her loves under the same roof again. I wish I could say that they lived happily ever like the end of every good Disney movie but the journey goes on. Colin is on a 42 week treatment plan involving intense chemotherapy and radiation. His other therapies are on hold at the moment. I left the company we both started together and I’m happy to be part of the fam but also his respite provider when they need extra hands on deck. When people say “it takes it village” they really mean it. No one deserves receiving news about cancer but ESPECIALLY not this family. Not Colin. Having autism is a journey of its own. Not being able to communicate to Colin about what’s happening or Colin not being able to tell us what he’s going through is extremely tough as well. As hard and tough as it has been and will be, this family is incredible. Colin is resilient. His fight is our fight and we’ll make sure to do whatever we can to make sure he beats the hell out of this.
Cait and Garret have done phenomenal but this isn’t something they should have ever had to experience. I think I speak for everyone supporting them when we say we wish we could take it all away.
I’m starting this gofundme to raise funds for two important reasons. Part of the money raised will go to Cait and Garret to use for Colin and their needs. The other part will be donated to Courageous Hearts.
Courageous hearts is an organization created by Leola Cooper. Leola, unfortunately, lost her mother to Stage 4 breast cancer 16 years ago. After experiencing the love, help, and guidance from others during her mother’s fight, she decided to make this organization to return the support to others. Courageous hearts shows their love and support in the best way by preparing care packages for children battling cancer and I want to give help where I can, with your help, through this gofundme.
Organizer
Bianca Carroll
Organizer
Yuba City, CA