Largo, Florida
"Thank you. Donating blood means giving life to others." These are the words of Jackson, a 12-year-old cancer survivor. Jackson was attending golf and tennis camp when he first complained about a pain in his leg. No one thought it was anything serious. His parents bought him new shoes and his pediatrician recommended ice and rest. Despite those efforts, Jackson woke up one morning in excruciating pain. His parents reexamined his leg and noticed something hard and round near his knee. His mother took him back to the pediatrician for an x-ray and the radiologist was very disturbed by the results.
The next few days were filled with a rush of tests and oncologist visits, including x-rays, MRIs and a biopsy. They confirmed what no parent wants to hear…your son has cancer. Jackson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare cancer that is most common in boys ages 9 to 15. The tumor was on Jackson’s growth plate and encroaching on his knee. He underwent 10 weeks of chemotherapy, during which he needed several units of blood and platelets. He then had surgery to remove the tumor as well as a portion of his femur and knee. Since Jackson was still growing, he was given a cutting-edge prosthetic that would grow with his other knee. Jackson underwent more chemotherapy after the surgery to make sure the cancer was gone.
Jackson’s prognosis is good, and his parents grateful for the medical care he receives to help him live a long, healthy, cancer-free life.
“We will choose to be nothing short of grateful. We will celebrate every single victory—no matter how big or small!”
-Jackson's mom
Jackson and his family thank everyone, from surgeons to blood donors, who helped him in his battle against cancer.
August 2020 - Jackson's mom recently shared this wonderful update with us: “We are so happy to report that Jackson celebrated five years cancer and chemo free in May. He is 15 years old, happy and healthy. He continues to get leg extensions on his interior prosthetic leg and annual scans, but overall is doing amazing! We appreciate your continued efforts in saving lives and we certainly continue to do our part in encouraging others to give the gift of life!”
