Sawyer's Hope
This beautiful little boy's name is Sawyer Lewis Behrendt. He is the 9month-old son of Chris and Laura (Gildenzoph) Behrendt, and the family are residents in the Manitowoc, Wisconsin area. Laura is originally from Wisconsin Rapids, WI and Chris from Two Rivers, WI.
Sawyer was recently diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. Laura took her little boy to the local ED on February 21st with what she believed was a cold that just wouldn’t go away. Being a Registered Nurse, she knew something wasn’t quite right. They were discharged from the ED that evening with a diagnosis of pneumonia, but the radiologist also noted there were nodule notes on his chest X-ray in the same area from a previous chest X-ray from September 2017. They were instructed to follow up with their primary care physician the following week.
Then began the process that is every parent’s worst nightmare. The words “Something is not right, we’re referring you to Milwaukee Children’s Hospital” will likely forever haunt Chris and Laura. Sawyer was seen by a pulmonologist at Children’s who referred the family to Oncology. They were admitted for testing and the following morning a CT scan showed a 99% percent chance of Neuroblastoma. 
After further testing, Sawyer was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor that extended from the T6 to L2 vertebrae, causing a displacement of his liver, left kidney, spleen, and pancreas, and causing pressure on his stomach and left lung. More testing will follow to determine if there are any other cancer cells in his little body.
Major surgery to remove the tumor is scheduled for Monday March 19th, 2018. It will incorporate at least a one-week long hospital stay. A further treatment schedule will be developed when testing results from the tumor are returned. If further treatment is needed, it will begin immediately following surgical recovery.
Chris and Laura are amazing people who work hard to support their little family. Sawyer is the youngest of three children, big brother Landon (10) and big sister Elaina (2) are being affected by the absence of their parents even as extended family rally around to help care for them and keep life as normal as possible. This fund is being set up to help pay for medical and travel expenses as well as daily expenses that will pile up as Laura will be taking family medical leave from work, so she can be with their baby. 
Your support to Sawyer’s Hope means the world. Not just to Chris and Laura and their children, but to all the people who love them. Thank you so much for anything you can do, be it sharing this page, donating, prayers, love, or anything else. We will post updates and pictures as they come. It is our greatest HOPE to SAVE SAWYER. All our love and thanks! ~Auntie Elisabeth
