Quinn's Fight Against Leukemia

If you know the faces, hearts, and minds of these children and their parents, you know what it is to belly laugh, to be celebrated and cared for in the deepest way, what it is to be loved. And now, perhaps you know what it is to be heartbroken, to be shaken, to be on your knees in prayer. 

On December 20th, after several weeks of a lingering cough and other common symptoms this time of year, Danielle took Quinn to the pediatrician. An exam and initial blood work were performed, which indicated something deeper was going on, beyond a mere cold or the flu. Danielle was advised to head straight to Lutheran General. Over the course of the past 48 hours Quinn has been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, which is the most common childhood cancer. Due to Quinn's age and blood cell count, she is in the standard range. 

At the moment, doctors are working to get a port in and will then start chemo. The goal is for Quinn to be able to go home at some point next week, returning for treatments every Friday for a month. After that month the doctors will assess how the chemo worked by conducting another round of blood and bone marrow tests. Regardless of these results, Quinn is looking at a minimum of two years of treatment and dosages. As daunting as that sounds, the medical team has regularly expressed assurance that Quinn will overcome this and go on to live a healthy life.

The future holds many unknowns, but what Joseph and Danielle are confident in is the character of God; that He is who He says He is and will do what He has promised.

[Isaiah 43 ]

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
    I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
    and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior...

There has already been an outpouring of prayer, encouragement, and inquiry as to how to step in to help during this time. There will be many stages in the course of this journey. Currently Joseph and Danielle are rotating between permanent support at Quinn's bedside and being present and engaged in navigating this experience with the boys. As they continue in the day-to-day needs before them, there are several things you can do that will make a profound impact:


1. Pray- Joseph shared the following: "We fully believe in the incredible power of prayer by God’s people. Please pray for our gentle, sweet, vibrant Quinn, for a path that would lead her to complete healing. Pray for Colt (6) and Kase (2.5), that they would understand what they need to and that the toll of these next months would be minimized for them. Dani and I also need prayer; we desire to make the wisest choices for Quinn’s treatment, and we want to be the best parents to all three of our kids through this. We also need prayer to not live in fear and worry. Please include our doctors in your prayers, as well. God has equipped very smart, compassionate people to help others, and we pray that our doctors and nurses have absolute clarity regarding treatment for Quinn."


2. Persist- There will be moments in the weeks and months to come where the reality of what lies ahead will settle in. Let's resolve to be steadfast in support of this family, to listen to the Spirit's promptings to check-in, to pray, to listen, to speak words of truth. While Joseph and Danielle may not be able to respond to every communication, let's continue to secure and re-affirm our love for and loyalty to them, particularly in the long haul.


3. Give- The last thing any parent in this situation should be thinking about is finances. And yet, it is a reality that even the most financially sound individuals will reckon with in time. The initial goal set here is a means to allow Joseph and Danielle the peace of mind to continue prioritizing what matters most during this season- their children. If you are able, a gift of any amount will help fill in the gaps as the bills start to accumulate and will continue to provide them a soft landing place as treatments stretch on. 

We can't thank you enough for being the people Joseph and Danielle can lean on. May the echo of the days to come be an exhaustive example of what it means to love and to be loved in return.

Warmly,
Quinn's Family




[Psalm 91]
 
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes
    and see the recompense of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place
     —the Most High, who is my refuge—
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder;
    the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
14 “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
15 When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”