OUR JOURNEY

Our journey began in September 2001 during a routine wellness check-up when our pediatrician discovered a mass in Holden's abdomen. A week later, as we were watching replay after replay of planes crashing into theTwin Towers in the radiology recovery room at Childrens Hospital, we were told our son had cancer. The good news was that hepatoblastoma,although very rare, was curable in 67% of the cases.

For nearly a year our hopes remained high. We were in the number one pediatric cancer center with a world-renowned pediatric liver oncologist; as our primary doctor. After two surgeries, three protocols and a rising tumor marker, we began to realize Holden didn't fall into that 67%.

Although our family and friends were supportive from the beginning, we kept the details mostly to ourselves because we didn’t want to burden anybody. But after 10 months on a wild ride of ups and downs, we began to reach out. We began an email chain updating everyone on Holden happenings. Whether it was the newest therapies we were trying or the newest words added to his vocabulary, communicating through emails proved to be a tremendous emotional, psychological, and social support.It was so comforting to see that he touched so many peoples lives — many of whom only knew him through our emails.