Our Stories
Sawyer Rucker
Sawyer Rucker was a happy, healthy infant, the youngest of 8 siblings. In mid July 2014, he became increasingly fussy and lethargic, and we suspected anemia. Bloodwork at our pediatrician showed an incredibly high white blood cell count, and led to his diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) at 7 months old. Doctors estimated that the onset of his leukemia had occured roughly a few weeks before, and that he likely had only 24 hours to live on the day of diagnosis. He immediately began an intensive round of chemotherapy at Children's Medical Center of Dallas. Infant ALL is rare and aggressive, and the statistics are not encouraging. But our family trusts that God has a perfect plan for Sawyer's life, however long that may be. Sawyer finished treatment in January 2017, and returns to Dallas for quarterly checkups.
Eric Kimmey
Eric was a normal happy healthy baby. At the age of 15 months Eric was diagnosed with AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The subtype was M7 which affected platelet development. We began chemotherapy treatment immediately at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. He did not go into full remission. He had two bone marrow transplants (BMT). One autologous BMT in Sept. 1994 Children's in Dallas, and one cord blood BMT Feb 1995 at UofM in Minneapolis, MN. After both BMTs he relapsed. We were out of options. Eric turned 3 on Nov 1, 1995 and died on Nov 13, 1995 at the age 3 years & 13 days.
Our family was put in a terrible situation but we made the best of it. We realized that God gives you His children to raise, but they are just on loan. Eric has gone to be with his real Father and we will see him one day again.
Olivia Nolley
In November 2009 Olivia was a healthy, active 10 year old girl. She began having trouble bending 2 fingers, and an MRI revealed a tumor in her spinal column. Surgery a few days later left her paralized, and a biopsy brought the dreaded diagnosis "stage 4 Cancer". How could this be when just a few days earlier, she was running around the yard, playing with her sister and friends? She was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma brain cancer. It is a very fast growing and incurable brain cancer. Olivia received radiation treatment and chemo. After 8 months an MRI revealed the tumor was growing again, it could not be stopped. On November 3, 2010 our Lord called Olivia home to heaven.