Ethan was diagnosed with cancer on March 6, 2024, at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. For three weeks leading up to his diagnosis, Ethan had been more tired than usual, taking longer naps and feeling unwell. After multiple visits to the doctor with no answers, his parents requested blood work. Within hours of the results, the doctor called, and Ethan was admitted to the hospital that same day.
Since his diagnosis, Ethan has faced several spinal taps, bone marrow aspirations, and both oral and infusion chemotherapy treatments. His treatment will continue for the next 2-3 years. While Ethan remains strong, his cancer has brought significant changes to his family’s life. His other mom has put her law practice on hold to care for him full-time. Their home has become a clean, controlled environment to protect Ethan’s health—shoes are left at the door, hands are washed upon entering, and all food preparation is done with extra care. His sister has had to adapt too, as friends can no longer come over to play.
Ethan’s love for cars, trains, and trucks has filled their house, transforming it into his indoor playground. While he can no longer play outside or visit Disneyland, he finds joy in imaginative play at home. His sweet, loving personality shines through, even though he doesn’t fully understand why he’s sick or why he can’t return to preschool.
Despite the challenges, Ethan has been a trooper through this journey. He often asks whether appointments will allow him to have dinner at home or at the hospital, celebrating the shorter visits. When hospitalized, he asks, “How many sleeps?” to count the days until he can go home. His resilience and humor shine, like the time he told the nurses they had “three minutes” to insert his NG tube—and they succeeded in record time.
Ethan truly is the sweetest boy you’ll ever meet, a brave and loving fighter who faces every challenge with strength and heart.
Kayleigh was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024 after weeks of concerning symptoms. Initially dismissed as a virus, her persistent cold, weight loss, and pale complexion prompted her parents to seek a second opinion. A CBC test led to an urgent trip to the children’s hospital, where her diagnosis was confirmed. Chemotherapy began the very next day.
Kayleigh is currently in frontline treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), specifically in Interim Maintenance 1. While the initial months were tough, especially with movement challenges, physical therapy has been a big help, and she’s been showing great progress.
The diagnosis turned her family’s life upside down. Kayleigh now homeschools with her brother since public school isn’t an option during treatment. Her mom had to leave her full-time job to become her full-time caregiver, adapting to this new reality.
Despite everything, Kayleigh remains the sweetest 11-year-old with a vibrant personality. She adores animals, especially dogs and horses, and her favorite color is purple. Lately, she’s developed an interest in makeup and skincare, and she loves crafts, painting, singing, and playing volleyball—though treatment has put her volleyball games on pause for now.
Kayleigh is a strong and brave girl whose courage inspires everyone around her. Her determination and joyful spirit shine through even during the toughest moments.
On February 13, 2024, Wiley was diagnosed with cancer. Before her diagnosis, she experienced unusual bruising, deep breaths (later attributed to low blood counts), fevers from a lingering cold, frequent naps, and moodiness. Following her diagnosis and treatment, she faced significant challenges, including stopping walking after her initial chemotherapy induction and suffering a blood clot in her brain in July.
Her treatment has been extensive, involving lumbar punctures with chemotherapy injected into her spinal fluid, hospital stays, a port for medication, and over two years of planned chemotherapy. She has also endured strong steroids, prophylactic antibiotics, and 157 home injections. Our family has made sacrifices, including me leaving my job to be her full-time caregiver.
Her diagnosis has reshaped our perspective on life. We cherish every moment with her, and the good days hold even greater meaning. Her resilience has brought our family closer and heightened our gratitude for small joys.
Wiley is a bright and joyful child who loves Barbies and princesses. She is often smiling and has a strong sense of preference, especially when it comes to food—a side effect of her treatment. Her determination and spirit shine through even on the hardest days.
Hope session by Tzivi Wenger Photography| Instagram
Jackson’s personality is as bright and sweet as ever. He loves all kinds of trucks, trains, and construction equipment. His favorite activity is driving his electric truck outside. He’s also a loving big brother to Isabelle and adores his dog, Buzz. Jackson’s resilience and cheerful spirit bring so much joy to our family every single day.
In February 2020, at just 19 months old, Jackson was diagnosed with cancer. Before his diagnosis, he experienced persistent high fevers, lethargy, and sadness, which led us to visit the pediatrician three times in two weeks. One alarming moment was when he lightly bumped his head on a door jamb and immediately bruised. Shortly after, a rash appeared all over his body, which turned out to be petechiae—a symptom that ultimately led to his diagnosis.
Since then, Jackson has undergone extensive treatments, including over a dozen lumbar punctures for chemotherapy, countless IV chemo infusions, and over a year of oral chemotherapy at home. He also takes steroids every three months. To protect his health, we’ve had to hire a nanny to avoid exposing him to other children and illnesses, which has created financial challenges.
Jackson’s diagnosis has profoundly impacted our family. When we received the news, I was 27 weeks pregnant with his sister Isabelle, which brought unexpected challenges during an already significant life change. Despite this, our family has grown closer during these incredibly tough two years, and we are eagerly anticipating the end of Jackson’s treatment in May 2024.
On February 13, 2024, Izzy was diagnosed with cancer. Before her diagnosis, she experienced unusual bruising, deep breaths (later attributed to low blood counts), fevers from a lingering cold, frequent naps, and moodiness. Following her diagnosis and treatment, she faced significant challenges, including stopping walking after her initial chemotherapy induction and suffering a blood clot in her brain in July.
Her treatment has been extensive, involving lumbar punctures with chemotherapy injected into her spinal fluid, hospital stays, a port for medication, and over two years of planned chemotherapy. She has also endured strong steroids, prophylactic antibiotics, and 157 home injections. Our family has made sacrifices, including me leaving my job to be her full-time caregiver.
Her diagnosis has reshaped our perspective on life. We cherish every moment with her, and the good days hold even greater meaning. Her resilience has brought our family closer and heightened our gratitude for small joys.
Izzy is a bright and joyful child who often smiles and has a strong sense of preference, especially when it comes to food—a side effect of her treatment. Her determination and spirit shine through even on the hardest days.
Our son, Aamir, is outgoing and has a wide range of interests. He loves gaming on his PS5, with Fortnite and Spider-Man being his favorites. He enjoys fishing, cooking, and riding both electric and gas-powered toys. He has a curious mind, always eager to learn how things work and explore creating new things. His resilience and enthusiasm shine through even during tough times.
On May 10, 2023, our son was diagnosed with cancer. Before his diagnosis, he experienced fatigue, chest pains, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and a change in skin pigmentation. Despite his condition, he currently has no major limitations.
His treatment journey has included chemotherapy, a chest tube, a feeding tube, bone marrow biopsies, and lumbar punctures. While navigating these treatments, we occasionally face challenges helping him move around, participate in family activities, and manage eating difficulties and “chemo brain.” Financial insecurities have also added to the struggles.
Our family life has changed drastically. We’ve shifted from traveling and attending events with confidence to being more cautious and alert about our surroundings. We’ve also adjusted our eating habits and face financial challenges while frequently traveling for treatments.
