Support Keoni's Fight Against Neuroblastoma

On Sunday Sept 29th, our lives forever changed. We woke up to shrill cries coming from the room of our 5-month-old baby boy. When I picked Keoni up, I noticed he was hot to touch, his right eye was drooping, and his pupils were unequal. A golf ball-sized lump on the right side of his neck was inhibiting his ability to straighten his neck.

We went to the ER and were then told we needed to be transferred to a Children's Medical Center for a higher level of care. After an ambulance ride, blood tests, X-rays, MRIs, and days of anxiously waiting for a diagnosis, the doctor entered our room and introduced himself as the Oncologist. He told us what every parent fears hearing - "the results show your baby most likely has cancer - neuroblastoma."

Keoni's scans show he has a tumor on the right side of his neck slightly shifting his trachea, a tumor on the right side of his spine slightly shifting his lung, and multiple masses in his enlarged liver.

We feel like we're living in a bad dream that we wish we could wake up from. A few weeks ago, Keoni was playing and laughing with his grandparents visiting from CA and TX.

Days now are filled with doctor appointments, blood tests, biopsies, medicine, conversations about plans, updating family, and waiting for results and next steps.

Keoni will soon undergo a surgical procedure to insert a central IV catheter in one of his major veins close to his heart for 6 to 12 weeks of chemotherapy.

During this time, we have taken a personal leave of absence from work and are spending quality time caring for Keoni.

Keoni's sweet smile and playful energy when he feels well give us strength for the moments he doesn't feel well, as we share hours consoling and holding him in our arms.

We are so blessed to have loving family in CA & TX and friends in NYC and beyond reaching out, checking in, and showing support. We are eternally grateful.

We so appreciate all the offers for help and support during this difficult time as we navigate this diagnosis and treatment.

If you feel called to offer support to help us with possible treatment options, bills, food, and travel to/from the hospital while we are caring for Keoni and not at work, we truly appreciate it.

Or

If you work at Northwell Health, please consider donating 1 PTO day:

Sign into MyExperience > click 'Help' tab > click 'HR Service Request' >

Click 'Create Service Request' >

in Category of Service Request, type or scroll to 'PTO Donation Form' >

in Service Request Details type 'Donating PTO to Sara Choi Person ID # 239425 for Personal Leave of Absence to care for child during illness'

Thank you so much for all of your love, prayers, and support as we pray in hope and faith for pain relief, healing, strength and full recovery for our loving baby boy, Keoni.