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Travis Hackett is an 11-year-old boy from San Diego, CA. He was busy playing soccer, building science experiments, learning to play the saxophone, fishing, exploring life and spending time with family and friends. There was NO warning that a big battle with ALL - acute lymphoblastic leukemia was brewing. Yet in what seems like the course of a day his life, and that of his family, were forever changed.
Travis’s Story
We would like to think that good fortune and good people got him into treatment in the fastest way possible. The day started like any normal Monday with Travis headed to school to start the week. His buddy Zach noticed a swollen red patch on his neck after a run at school and insisted he visit the nurse, in part because he "would get out of class." The nurse sent him home with a strong recommendation for a doctor visit, which happened that afternoon. Dr. Messoline at Sharp ordered some just-in-case blood tests and an x-ray. A couple hours later his super-high white blood cell count had the family at Rady Children's Hospital for the confirmation of suspected bad news. So long story short, he received his first dose of chemo less than 24 hours after this was all set in motion!
Treatment Plan – Clinical Study
After a few days of tests to determine the details of his condition, the doctors recommended that Travis’s was a candidate for a clinical study. After receiving both the parent and Travis’s consent, he applied for, was accepted to and after a random “drawing” the family received the good news that he would enter a clinical study aimed at applying the latest and greatest treatment. Travis started his “specially formulated treatment” on October 24. A 5th ingredient was added to his "chemo cocktail" ... Bortezomib, which specifically targets the type of cells gone wild that we are trying to eradicate (the T type). The family is excited to have this added weapon in the arsenal, but only half as excited as his lead doctor (Dr. Paula Aristizabal) who is clearly immersed and enraptured by the science of curing cancer. Bortezomib has been used for several years on adult T-ALL patients (T-type Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) who have relapsed, with significant results. So now they want to see if adding it to the mix earlier, during the initial "carpet bombing" of the bad cells, will knock them out faster or more completely. The other half is the control group and they get the "normal" protocol, i.e. no Bortezomib. It's unknown if this additional medicine will make a difference but it looks good on paper. If nothing else we are grateful to have the chance to help advance the research on this dastardly disease.
Travis will spend approximately 30 days in the hospital and then the next 6-8 months on "house arrest" where he will receive additional chemo treatments 1 to 2 times a week. He will resume his schooling from teachers inside the home. After this hurdle is past, his life will go mostly back to normal where he will attend middle school with all the other kids, can play sports again, and so on. He will still need chemo refreshers about once a month for ABOUT 3 MORE YEARS! Boys get a whole extra year because they have an additional hideout where the bad cells can lie in wait, a place that girls don't have, a spot where they can continue to "hang around" if not hunted down and exterminated.
Fund Purpose
Friends of the Hackett family are raising funds to aid the family, as Travis battles cancer. The question asked by so many is what can we do to help? As a way to ease the family’s burdens, the funds raised will help with expenses related to the best possible care, support and treatment for Travis's battle. It is impossible to chart out exactly what is needed by the family over the coming days, months and years. Any funds not used after they have completed the battle will be donated to Leukemia Research in honor of Travis Hackett.
Travis has adopted a motto used by an American "knight" called Darth Rimmer: "Per Angusta In Augusta" ... Through Difficulties To Great Things. The kid is a warrior indeed!
Travis’s Story
We would like to think that good fortune and good people got him into treatment in the fastest way possible. The day started like any normal Monday with Travis headed to school to start the week. His buddy Zach noticed a swollen red patch on his neck after a run at school and insisted he visit the nurse, in part because he "would get out of class." The nurse sent him home with a strong recommendation for a doctor visit, which happened that afternoon. Dr. Messoline at Sharp ordered some just-in-case blood tests and an x-ray. A couple hours later his super-high white blood cell count had the family at Rady Children's Hospital for the confirmation of suspected bad news. So long story short, he received his first dose of chemo less than 24 hours after this was all set in motion!
Treatment Plan – Clinical Study
After a few days of tests to determine the details of his condition, the doctors recommended that Travis’s was a candidate for a clinical study. After receiving both the parent and Travis’s consent, he applied for, was accepted to and after a random “drawing” the family received the good news that he would enter a clinical study aimed at applying the latest and greatest treatment. Travis started his “specially formulated treatment” on October 24. A 5th ingredient was added to his "chemo cocktail" ... Bortezomib, which specifically targets the type of cells gone wild that we are trying to eradicate (the T type). The family is excited to have this added weapon in the arsenal, but only half as excited as his lead doctor (Dr. Paula Aristizabal) who is clearly immersed and enraptured by the science of curing cancer. Bortezomib has been used for several years on adult T-ALL patients (T-type Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) who have relapsed, with significant results. So now they want to see if adding it to the mix earlier, during the initial "carpet bombing" of the bad cells, will knock them out faster or more completely. The other half is the control group and they get the "normal" protocol, i.e. no Bortezomib. It's unknown if this additional medicine will make a difference but it looks good on paper. If nothing else we are grateful to have the chance to help advance the research on this dastardly disease.
Travis will spend approximately 30 days in the hospital and then the next 6-8 months on "house arrest" where he will receive additional chemo treatments 1 to 2 times a week. He will resume his schooling from teachers inside the home. After this hurdle is past, his life will go mostly back to normal where he will attend middle school with all the other kids, can play sports again, and so on. He will still need chemo refreshers about once a month for ABOUT 3 MORE YEARS! Boys get a whole extra year because they have an additional hideout where the bad cells can lie in wait, a place that girls don't have, a spot where they can continue to "hang around" if not hunted down and exterminated.
Fund Purpose
Friends of the Hackett family are raising funds to aid the family, as Travis battles cancer. The question asked by so many is what can we do to help? As a way to ease the family’s burdens, the funds raised will help with expenses related to the best possible care, support and treatment for Travis's battle. It is impossible to chart out exactly what is needed by the family over the coming days, months and years. Any funds not used after they have completed the battle will be donated to Leukemia Research in honor of Travis Hackett.
Travis has adopted a motto used by an American "knight" called Darth Rimmer: "Per Angusta In Augusta" ... Through Difficulties To Great Things. The kid is a warrior indeed!