Summer was diagnosed with leukemia on December 21, 2017. Leading up to her diagnosis, her family noticed swollen lymph nodes, pale skin, night sweats, petechiae, trouble sleeping, a loss of appetite, and an overall sense that something just wasn’t right.
Throughout her treatment, Summer endured chemotherapy, spinal taps, port placement surgery, and later, port removal. The journey wasn’t just physically difficult—it also left lasting emotional effects. Her family continues to cope with anxiety and PTSD, shaped by the trauma of watching their child fight through such a terrifying illness. Every germ or virus during treatment felt like a new threat, heightening their fear due to her compromised immune system.
Despite these challenges, Summer’s spirit has always shone brightly. She is full of life and joy. If her parents had to choose just one word to describe her, it would be “fun.” Summer is sweet, loving, funny, a great conversationalist, and the kind of friend everyone hopes to have. She is their sunshine.
She has a deep love for animals and enjoys reading and researching them. She also loves Pokémon and playing piano or keyboard.
Now, after all she has faced, Summer is approaching an incredible milestone. On February 19, 2025, she will be officially considered cured. Her family is celebrating this moment with a trip to Florida, a symbol of hope, healing, and how far she has come.
Summer’s story is one of resilience, joy, and unwavering strength. She inspires everyone around her, and her light continues to shine brighter each day.
At just nine months old, Emerson was diagnosed with Wilms Tumor only two weeks ago. Her doctor discovered a mass during her regular well visit, and everything changed in an instant.
So far, Emerson has begun chemotherapy and will be undergoing surgery soon. Her treatment has made her immunosuppressed, which means her family must take extra precautions to keep her healthy. With two older children at home, it has been incredibly stressful for her parents to balance protecting Emerson while still giving her siblings the attention and care they need.
Despite it all, Emerson is known for her joyful spirit. Her family lovingly calls her the happiest baby in all the land. She lights up every room with her constant smile, showing a kind of bravery far beyond her age.
Her parents describe her as the bravest baby there ever was. Even with all she’s facing, Emerson continues to smile through it all. She is a light in her family’s life and a beautiful reminder of strength and resilience.
On December 20, 2022, Allen Owens, affectionately known as Big Al, was diagnosed with B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at just 17 months old. That same day, Allen and his parents were transported to St. Jude in Memphis while his older sister, age 7, and brother, age 4, remained in Louisiana.
Allen lived at St. Jude for six months. During that time, he underwent surgery, numerous procedures, and countless doctor’s appointments. He has had many lumbar punctures with chemotherapy infused into his spine, received multiple chemo infusions, and continues to take daily oral chemotherapy.
Today, he is back home in Louisiana and continues weekly treatments with chemo on Tuesdays. Through it all, the biggest challenge for his family has been financial, but their gratitude for time together has only grown stronger.
Big Al is the youngest of five and is truly an amazing little guy. He loves motorcycles, Bluey, monster trucks, baseball, and chocolate milk. With a sweet yet spunky personality, his family affectionately calls him their little sour patch kid. He has shown incredible strength and courage for someone so young.
God has been gracious to Allen, and his family is so proud of how far he has come. They are joyfully counting down the days until August 2025 when Allen will ring the bell, surrounded by friends and family who have supported him throughout his journey.
Nolan was just five months old when his family’s world shifted. What seemed like the flu turned out to be something far more serious. One night he woke up crying and couldn’t be comforted. His mom trusted her instincts and took him to the emergency room. After a long wait, they received the devastating news: Nolan had acute myeloid leukemia.
They were admitted immediately, and the hospital became their home for the next six months. Nolan underwent five rounds of chemotherapy. With each one, he became neutropenic, leaving him highly vulnerable to infection. Every round brought fevers that lasted for weeks and required heavy-duty antibiotics. His mom stayed by his side through it all, leaving her job to care for him. The financial and emotional toll has been heavy, and the impact is something they’re still working through together as a family.
Now almost two years old, Nolan is thriving outside of the hospital. He may have a speech delay, but that doesn’t stop him from sharing his big personality. He is fearless, affectionate, and full of joy. He loves music, especially music therapy sessions that became a bright spot during treatment. These days he’s also a big fan of anything with wheels, playing outside, and splashing in water.
He’s known for being silly and full of energy, although he turns very serious the moment a camera comes out. He loves people and rarely wants to be alone. His family stays close too. After everything they’ve been through, they do almost everything together. His mom says she gets separation anxiety if they’re apart for too long.
Nolan is a double rainbow baby, a miracle who came after a long season of loss and heartbreak. He has been a light since the beginning, and today he continues to be a source of joy and love for everyone who knows him.
On December 28, 2023, Brynn’s world changed forever. What started as a stubborn case of the flu over her birthday lingered far too long. Her birthday felt miserable, and Christmas came and went without joy. A few days later, her dad took her to the doctor and insisted on bloodwork. That persistence may have saved her life. Just a few hours after the tests, her family received the news no parent ever expects—Brynn was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Since then, Brynn has faced an incredibly tough road. Her treatment has included blood and platelet transfusions, kidney failure, steroid-induced hyperglycemia, anaphylactic reactions, sepsis, bacterial infections, hair loss, countless medications, and months spent in the hospital. Some days she feels good, while others she can barely walk. The intensity of treatment changes day by day.
Cancer has completely reshaped life for Brynn and her family. Travel is nearly impossible, and even simple joys like going swimming, digging in the dirt, or joining friends at a birthday party have been taken off the table. While her friends head to the pool, Brynn has to sit it out. She’s aware of how different her life is now. Her short hair, frequent absences from school, and the special medical equipment she carries make her feel like other kids see her differently—and that feeling hurts.
But despite everything she’s been through, Brynn is still just a kid who wants to do all the things other kids do. She loves the outdoors—fishing, camping, anything that gets her into nature. Those things are tough right now, but her family finds ways to adapt and make the most of it. More than anything, she just wants to be with her friends, laugh, and feel included.
Through it all, Brynn has shown incredible strength and courage. She is navigating a world that has changed overnight, with the heart of a fighter and the soul of a joyful, adventurous little girl.
Ripplen is five years old and has been bravely fighting high-risk neuroblastoma since just after his fourth birthday. He’s been in treatment for around 18 months and still has about two more years of care ahead of him.
His cancer journey began when his family noticed some concerning changes. He stopped eating, began experiencing severe back pain, and became increasingly fatigued and lethargic. These symptoms led to the heartbreaking diagnosis of neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer.
Throughout his treatment, Ripplen has endured so much—chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, a bone marrow transplant, immunotherapy, and train chemo as part of the plan for remission. It’s been an incredibly difficult road, one that has reshaped every part of life for his family.
He also lives with autism and has a short attention span, which adds another layer of challenge to an already intense medical journey. But through it all, Ripplen’s sweet and silly spirit continues to shine. He has a big heart, a bright personality, and finds joy in the little things. He especially loves anything that flies and trains, and his laughter is the kind that can lift the spirits of everyone around him.
This journey has changed the way Ripplen’s family views the world. In the midst of so much uncertainty, they’ve learned to hold tightly to hope, to joy, and to the beautiful, everyday moments with their brave boy.
