- Diet
- Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
- Amyloidosis
- Anal Cancer
- Appendix Cancer
- Astrocytoma - Childhood
- Ataxia-Telangiectasia
- Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome
- Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma)
- Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome
- Bladder Cancer
- Bone Cancer (Sarcoma of Bone)
- Brain Stem Glioma - Childhood
- Brain Tumor
- Breast Cancer - Inflammatory
- Breast Cancer - Metastatic
- Breast Cancer - Male
- Carney Complex
- Central Nervous System Tumors (Brain and Spinal Cord) - Childhood
- Cervical Cancer
- Childhood Cancer
- Cowden Syndrome
- Craniopharyngioma - Childhood
- Desmoid Tumor
- Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma, Childhood Tumor
- Ependymoma - Childhood
- Esophageal Cancer
- Ewing Sarcoma - Childhood and Adolescence
- Eye Melanoma
- Eyelid Cancer
- Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
- Familial GIST
- Familial Malignant Melanoma
- Familial Pancreatic Cancer
- Gallbladder Cancer
- Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor - GIST
- Germ Cell Tumor - Childhood
- Gestational Trophoblastic Disease
- Head and Neck Cancer
- Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
- Hereditary Diffuse Gastric Cancer
- Hereditary Leiomyomatosis and Renal Cell Cancer
- Hereditary Mixed Polyposis Syndrome
- Hereditary Pancreatitis
- Hereditary Papillary Renal Carcinoma
- HIV/AIDS-Related Cancer
- Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome
- Kidney Cancer
- Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Cancer
- Leukemia - Acute Lymphoblastic - ALL - Childhood
- Leukemia - Acute Lymphocytic - ALL
- Leukemia - Acute Myeloid - AML
- Leukemia - Acute Myeloid - AML - Childhood
- Leukemia - B-cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia and Hairy Cell Leukemia
- Leukemia - Chronic Lymphocytic - CLL
- Leukemia - Chronic Myeloid - CML
- Leukemia - Chronic T-Cell Lymphocytic
- Leukemia - Eosinophilic
- Li-Fraumeni Syndrome
- Liver Cancer
- Lung Cancer - Non-Small Cell
- Lung Cancer - Small Cell
- Lymphoma - Hodgkin
- Lymphoma - Hodgkin - Childhood
- Lynch Syndrome
- Lymphoma - Non-Hodgkin - Childhood
- Lymphoma - Non-Hodgkin
- Mastocytosis
- Medulloblastoma - Childhood
- Melanoma
- Meningioma
- Mesothelioma
- Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
- Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2
- Multiple Myeloma
- MUTYH (or MYH)-Associated Polyposis
- Myelodysplastic Syndromes - MDS
- Nasal Cavity and Paranasal Sinus Cancer
- Nasopharyngeal Cancer
- Neuroblastoma - Childhood
- Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Gastrointestinal Tract
- Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Lung
- Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Pancreas
- Neuroendocrine Tumors
- Neurofibromatosis Type 1
- Neurofibromatosis Type 2
- Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome
- Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer
- Osteosarcoma - Childhood and Adolescence
- Ovarian, Fallopian Tube, and Peritoneal Cancer
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Parathyroid Cancer
- Penile Cancer
- Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome
- Pheochromocytoma and Paraganglioma
- Pituitary Gland Tumor
- Pleuropulmonary Blastoma - Childhood
- Retinoblastoma - Childhood
- Rhabdomyosarcoma - Childhood
- Salivary Gland Cancer
- Sarcoma - Kaposi
- Sarcomas, Soft Tissue
- Skin Cancer (Non-Melanoma)
- Small Bowel Cancer
- Stomach Cancer
- Testicular Cancer
- Thymoma and Thymic Carcinoma
- Thyroid Cancer
- Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
- Unknown Primary
- Uterine Cancer
- Vaginal Cancer
- Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome
- Vulvar Cancer
- Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (Lymphoplasmacytic Lymphoma)
- Werner Syndrome
- Wilms Tumor - Childhood
- Xeroderma Pigmentosum
- Veterans with Cancer
- Insurance and Cancer
- Prayers for Cancer Healing
- Prayers for Cancer Survival
- Pharmacology - Cancer Oncology drugs
- Natural Cures for Cancer
- Cancer Causing Foods
- Cancer Fighting Foods
- Kaposi Sarcoma
- Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer
- Adrenocortical Carcinoma
- Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer
- Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Skin
- Burkitt Lymphoma
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Pain Management in Cancer
- CBD and Cancer Patients
- Cancer Treatment
- Stoma Bag
- Cancer Bra
- Cancer Wigs
- Lymphedema and Cancer
- Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
- Mouth Cancer
- Pregnancy and Breast Cancer
- Endometrial Cancer
- Heart Tumors, Childhood
- Merkel Cell Carcinoma
- Urethral Cancer
- Cancer in Young Adults
- Exercise and Cancer
- Insurance Denial and Cancer
- Bronchial Tumors
- Colostomy and Cancer
- Tube Feeding and Cancer
- Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms
- Pulmonary Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor
- Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
- Fallopian Tube Cancer
- Breast Prostheses after Mastectomy
- Vascular Tumors
- Urethral cancer
- Music
Leo's Story
Shortly after his third birthday, Flavia and Stalin began to notice significant bruising below the knees on their son, Leo. Their worries began growing after they realized that Leo was more tired than usual, presenting signs of difficulty breathing, and struggling to complete everyday activities.
At that point, they decided to take Leo to the pediatrician, where a blood test would soon determine their family's journey for the next several years. Anxiously awaiting the blood test results, Flavia and Stalin received a call from their pediatrician advising them to take Leo to the emergency department at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital immediately. At that point, they began to realize this was something serious.
Leo’s parents will never forget the last week of school, when they picked him up and took him to the emergency department at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for further testing, where more blood work, an x-ray and other imaging were performed. That day, Flavia and Stalin received the news that no parent should ever have to hear – “your child has leukemia.”
Leo was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He was immediately admitted and placed under the care of Dr. Maggie Fader, pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Nicklaus Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorder Institute, where he began his treatment plan.
Now more than three years since his diagnosis and start of treatment, Leo rang the golden bell. The golden bell at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital symbolizes the end of cancer treatment and a very joyous occasion for families. For Flavia, Stalin and Leo, the bell ringing means the end of a three and a half year journey filled with many ups and downs – consistency, structure, discipline and isolation.
As for Leo, he is enjoying life like every kid should. He recently became a big brother, welcoming his little sister Gianna to the world. Leo and his family also accepted the role to represent Nicklaus Children’s as the 2023 Champion Family for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
SORT BY-
Top Comments
-
Latest comments