Toddler Gabriel Rodriguez had a love of music and drums. But the music stopped abruptly with a diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), at age 1½. Living in a hospital while enduring chemotherapy treatments he couldn't understand, Gabriel missed his family terribly. Meanwhile, his dad, Gerardo, the sole breadwinner, did double duty as caretaker of Gabriel and his mom, Jessebelle, who was battling lung cancer.

Now, things are looking up. Gabriel's leukemia is nearly in remission thanks to effective treatments discovered through research. He's regained his strength for walking and his passion for drums is stronger than ever. His parents couldn't be happier. " We are grateful to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for information, support and financial assistance that helped us through a terrible time. Thank you!"