Sheldon Kirbow is a sophomore at Hallsville High School where he is a track and football athlete, and excels in the classroom.  In addition to medical bills, the family will have numerous additional expenses as Sheldon's treatments will be in Dallas, and taking time off work will result in a loss of income.  We are hoping to ease the financial burden this family will be facing by sharing his story and asking for those of you who read it to consider giving. 

The following was written by Melynda Kirbow:

On Monday, March 2, our whole world changed. 

Sheldon went to the doctor Monday morning because he has been fighting what we thought was constipation (side effects of a new medication) for the past couple of weeks-just not feeling great. They drew lab, sent us to another building for sonograms of organs to check for appendicitis or gall bladder issues since he had some side pain. While checking out from the sonogram, I got a call from the doctors office to get to the ER asap because Sheldon's lab were low. I wasn't told how serious at the time. We went to the ER where I was told they were transporting us to Children's Hospital in Dallas and he needed blood.

Earlier that same morning at 5am , I had dropped off my husband Chris at the airport so he could go to work. Thankfully he had landed in Dallas and he was held up at DFW airport. I was able to catch him before the plane took off. He got off the plane and rented a car to meet us at Children's.

Sheldon was transported by ambulance with blood in IV. Through labs here at Children's and with the pathologist working quickly, we were told Sheldon is positive for leukemia. We waited on the leukemia to be typed and to be reported to us.

Results are in: Sheldon has ALL Leukemia. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

This requires hospital stays, weekly visits with chemo treatments for at least 9 months and monthly stays. I will be off work until he is in a place of remission. We are hopeful that he is cured. He will be out of school the rest of the year with some kind of homebound program. We do have another child in school, Keegan, and he will be affected with a lot of changes in schedules. Chris has missed work and will have to return as he has no paid leave.

We do not know what to expect in the months and years to come but Sheldon's care and health is a priority.

So thankful for friends and family. It's TRUE that the real ones show up. There is a CaringBridge page created and updates will be posted as quickly as possible.

To say we are not scared would be incorrect but we have a Mighty God and I know he is a Supernatural Physician and can work miracles. We still believe in miracles.

We have no doubt that Sheldon will meet this challenge as he has every other challenge in his life: Head on, with the focus and determination to conquer anything thrown his way.  Anyone who knows Sheldon knows that he is an absolute fighter and competitor and has the attitude that we are going to kick cancer's ugly butt.

WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL for the support we have received through texts, calls, posts, etc...

There are absolutely no words that can convey the amount of gratitude we have for the incredible outpouring of love and support following Sheldon's diagnosis. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Please continue to hold Sheldon in your prayers and thoughts. He is so strong and he is strengthened by the love shown to him!!