Xander’s battle with Neuroblastoma

My 7 month old nephew Xander was recently diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive pediatric cancer called Neuroblastoma on June 4th 2018. 

Xander was born on November 26th 2017, and is just the cutest and sweetest little love you’ll ever meet. A couple months after his birth his mother Angelica began to notice a change in his behavior and became concerned that it seemed he was in pain. 

After many appointments, and going through the steps for the typical causes for a babies fussiness (formula changes, acid reflux meds, etc) his very intuitive and persistent momma brought him to Boston Children’s Hospital for another opinion. After an ultrasound to check for GI issues, or other causes for collic, our worst nightmare became a reality.

Xander was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a cancer that effects a child’s nerve cells during development and spreads rapidly. He has a very advanced stage, that originated off of his adrenal gland (off of the kidney) and actually grew to be larger than his kidney itself. His tumor has also spiraled itself around his spinal cord, and spread to a couple spots in his liver. The pressure from the large tumor has also caused his spine to develop with a large curve, leaving him unable to be a typically active 7 month old baby.

Boston Childrens Hospital has been absolutely AMAZING. They have gone above and beyond with Xander’s care and helping his parents with some expenses along the way. However, all of this has left his mother unable to work while caring for him, and his father only able to work some days  while trying to be there for as many treatments and appointments as he can, while trying to keep his family financially afloat. 

As as of now Xander’s care plan consists of 6-9 months of chemo in hopes to shrink the tumor and remove it, and then many more months of chemo afterwards to prevent reoccurrence. Our little XANMAN has a long road ahead to say the least. Chemo is every couple of weeks, for multiple 12 hour days at a time in a row, and the days he doesn’t have chemo often consist of clinic visits, blood or platelet transfusions, and any other hiccup along the way that results in a trip to BCH. 

The cost of all the traveling, overnight stays in Boston, food, medications, and lack of being able to work has already began to add up fast. Any donation will be used for these expenses and anything leftover will be put in an account for Xander. 

Xander’s family appreciates anything your able to give during this difficult time. If you are not able to donate, please send your prayers, or even consider donating blood, which is used SO OFTEN for children going through things just like him. Any help is truly appreciated by his family.

We all know that he is going to beat this. Cancer messed with the wrong little man. 
#XANMANCAN
#XANMANWILL