ORANGE COUNTY

Reese Endresen - 6 years old
Reese is a sweet, shy 6 year-old boy who loves playing soccer, video games, shooting toy guns and watching Star Wars.  He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma in June, 2008 at the age of 5.  It was a huge shock to our family.  He had no symptoms other than a swollen lymph node in his neck.  He was misdiagnosed by a pediatrician for 3 months because all of the blood tests were normal and the Dr. felt that he would be having other symptoms if it were anything "serious".  We felt that having the node removed and biopsied would end the mystery and we would be done with it.  That was not to be.  One week after the biopsy we learned that there were "bad" cells found.  The tissue was being sent to NIH because the pathologist at St. Joseph's could not classify it.  The pathologist at NIH discovered that Reese had a very rare form of Hodgkin's Lymphoma - Nodular Lymphocyte Predominant.  While the diagnosis was beyond devastating to our family, his oncologists were actually very relieved that it turned out to be a sub-type which is very treatable and even curable.  A PET scan revealed that Reese was in an early stage, which was very good news. 

In fact, this rare sub-type of Hodgkin's was under study by the Children's Oncology Group and this study actually involved a less-toxic treatment than classical Hodgkins.  We were relieved to know that, although it was rare, there were researchers studying a better way to cure children of this type of cancer.  We entered the study, and checked Reese into CHOC to have a port installed and to begin chemotherapy.  Reese was admitted many times for fevers and night sweats, and also ran high blood sugars with the steroids he had to take.  Steroids also caused our normally happy little boy to become extremely moody.  By August it was over and we were ready for a scan to tell us if Reese would also need radiation.  He did not. He was in full remission and was able to end chemo and begin to rebuild his immune system and his strength.

After chemo ended, Reese did very well for a time, but in the winter he began to lose weight and did not eat much.  He also did not have his usual energy level.  I became very concerned, of course, but nothing in his monthly blood tests seemed to point to anything unusual.  Until January...when his blood test showed that he had blood sugar of 450.  He was rushed back to CHOC where we learned that Reese had developed type 1 diabetes and would be insulin-dependent  for the rest of his life.  As of now, his Drs. believe the 2 diseases are not connected.

After all of that, Reese is back on the soccer field.  He won the game's MVP award in the team's first game 2 weeks ago.  He is full of life and we couldn't be happier or more thankful.  Reese's journey has taught us to appreciate every day. 

Samantha Gangloff - 10 years old

When the twin towers fell in 2001, we all thought the world was crashing down and the world that we knew was going to change.  But, our family's life didn't really change until that December 27, 2001.  Sammi had been getting sick on and off for about a month and this time her fevers were high and had lasted for about 4 days.  So, I brought her into the doctors on Christmas Eve and she was given antibiotics.  She didn't get better like most kids do after their first dose and she slept most of Christmas.  We left for Mammoth the next day and that night she couldn't sleep because her stomach was rolling (it ended up being her heart pounding trying to breath in the thin air) and her fever was back.  I called her doctor and she told me to bring her to a doctor in Mammoth and ask for a blood test.  (If any of you have had blood work done, you know that it can take weeks to get your results).  Well, her results were back in 20 minutes and within the hour they had already made plans to fly Samantha and I home...She couldn't ride home because her platelets were so low (2,000 vs. 150,000) that if we would to get into an accident, she would bleed to death.

Well, the story goes on like most children who are diagnosed with leukemia.  The one big exception is that Sammi had to have 2 eye surgeries within the first 2 months of treatment.  Her eyes hermorrhaged from the flight to the hospital and she was blinded by the blood in her eyes.  They drained the blood from her eyes which made it possible to see again; but, part of her macula on the right side was taken with the fluid and now Sam has a hole and doesn't have central vision in that eye (you can never tell).  Sammi had 26 months of chemotherapy with daily pills, weekly blood draws, monthly spinal taps, and cycles of steriods use which would affect her life after treatment the most.

Like most of the families that have been affected by blood cancers, we have learned to appreciate our family and friends who helped us out during that time and to live each day knowing that it is a gift from God.  With every bad there is a good.  Sammi has grown into a very giving person and has made many friends from being involved with organizations such as: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Pediatric Cancer Reseach Foundation.  She was the poster child for the first St. Baldrick's in California (a head shaving fundraiser to raise awareness and solidarity with children with cancer) and has been the honored teammate for Team In Training for the last 3 years.  Her involvement with LLS's Team In Training has taught her that it feels good to do things for others and it has allowed her the opportunity to see what it's like to make and accomplish goals.  She became a "marathoner" herself in 2007 when she finished her first children's marathon in Nashville.  Sammi is a trooper.  Because of her weight gain as a result of the steroid use (we think), Sammi has to go to some kind of practice everyday and constantly think about food choices.  Sammi doesn't remember everything about her treatment, but she is very aware of how it has changed her life.

INLAND EMPIRE

Nickolas Bain - 5 years old

Nickolas was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on March 26 2006.  He had just turned two years old a couple weeks before and was a normal, fun loving toddler. He enjoyed playing outside, and was inseparable from his twin brother Nathan.  I originally took Nickolas to urgent care because he was sick with flu like symptoms and now complaining of leg pains: his lymph nodes had also begun to swell.  Less than two hours after he was seen, the doctors told me with certainty that he had Leukemia and we were rushed to Kaiser Permanente in Fontana where he lived for the next 6 weeks, receiving multiple blood transfusions, spinal taps, and heavy chemotherapy regimens. That was three years ago now, and his battle hasn't been an easy one, not to mention the fact that it's not over yet. He still frequents the doctors and hospitals, still has chemotherapy, and is still terrified of getting blood drawn through his port-a-cath, something he is not likely to ever get over.

Nickolas has been in remission for almost two years now, which is a true blessing itself. 

This fall Nickolas will get to go to kindergarten just like all the other children.  He will play on the playgrounds and finally live the life he deserves. Nickolas is only five years old and he already beat cancer.  Because of that, anything is possible. I am so proud of my little Nickolas.