Team Chase
Chase is a 6 year old boy who is battling his 3rd relapse of Leukemia (AML). His battle began when he was first diagnosed at 18 months of age. He began having severe nose bleeds at home. When his concerned parents were able to obtain lab work, it showed the devastating diagnosis that would turn their world upside down. At that time, Chase underwent 6 months of many bone marrow biopsies, a broviac placement, multiple blood transfusions and intensive systemic chemotherapy. The treatment seemed to work. His time frame for relapse should have been 8 months out from remission. To his parents, he was safe.
August 2014, three years later, Chase began to have simple partial seizures. After talking to neurology, his parents opted to get an MRI in hopes of figuring out what was causing these seizures. Chase went in for his routine MRI, but instead of going home, he was admitted to the PICU, pediatric intensive care unit. The MRI showed that Chase had very large tumors that had caused swelling around his brain. His parents were told that they were minutes to hours, maybe a day, away from his tumors herniating into his brain stem, an event that would have taken his life. Chase had a brain biopsy which proved the unthinkable. He relapsed. His AML had returned. Chase once again, faced another long road: a brain biopsy, multiple rounds of radiation, bone marrow biopsies, new chemos, MANY, MANY lumbar punctures, LOTS of sedation, multiple IVs, PICC lines, Broviacs, and many cute bald pictures. Fast forward to January 2016, 17 months later, little Chase was still receiving monthly Chemo. A few things had been happening that "weren't really Chase" and on Friday, January 29, his parents asked to have an MRI done just to be sure that there wasn't anything going on that they were missing. At his oncologist appointment later that afternoon, his parents heard the 4 words they had been praying to NEVER hear again.. "He has another tumor. "
Chase had now relapsed for the 3rd time. His parents were running out of options. The new treatment plan consisted of more focal radiation that they were hoping would target and kill the new visible tumor and following that, an experimental oral chemo that they use in adults with AML was started. The second week of May (2016), Chase had an MRI to see if this course of treatment was successful. It was not :( The radiation took care of the tumor it was supposed to, but another large tumor has already grown in its place. The day that this MRI was performed, Chase's parents were told that his medical team would discuss possibly doing another round of radiation, but if that was not an option, they had at best, a good 2 weeks to a month left with him...
So here we are, June 4, 2016:
Chases team of doctors is willing to do another round of focal radiation on this new tumor. Chases's Mom says, "radiation is all we can do for now and unless subsequent tumors pop up in new places, radiation will continue. But if tumors pop up in the same places as previous tumors were once located, radiation is not an option and hospice will be our only plan going forward. Radiation buys us time with Chase. We will stand by his side and fight until we can fight no longer. We are in uncharted waters and nobody knows what miracles may lie ahead..."
Chases's parents have been told to enjoy every minute they have with him.
Angela and Justin (Chase's parents) are also the Mommy and Daddy to Chase's 2 little brothers, Nick and Brody. They are very very busy between raising these 3 boys, attending multiple doctor and specialist appointments, chemo days, radiation days and on top of everything else, both working full time jobs. Our hope with this page, is to make it possible for them to spend as much time as they can with Chase and as a family.
Please please please consider donating. This family is the most giving family. They would do anything for anyone and now it is our turn to help them.
This little buddy has fought too hard to lose this battle... Please continue to keep them in your prayers.
