Mark P

Hey guys, many of you have been part of my family for the past 15 years since I started in this community in the A4.org days. Many of us have supported each other through life's various ups and downs, and while I am typically slightly hesitant in sharing my own "problems" with others, I have been encouraged that it's in all of our benefit and what makes this the amazing community that it is. So here goes...

On 8/26/14, we were blessed with the birth of our second child, Maxwell Reid.



Our first, Audrianna Hailey, is now almost 3 yrs old (in Jan) and has been an awesome big sister. Mom, Janna, was doing great after delivery:



Then on 9/29/14, our five week old son, was diagnosed with (and was born with; very rare) Leukemia after a routine 1 month well-baby visit to our pediatrician. After critical blood test results, he was taken by ambulance to Duke University Hospital. He spent a couple days in the pediatric intensive care unit, and was then transferred to the hematology/oncology unit to undergo ongoing intensive chemotherapy.

He has been there ever since, and will be for most of the next five months, with a minimum two years of scheduled cancer treatments. He is expected to need a bone marrow transplant at 7 months old. Maxwell has been receiving outstanding care at Duke and has exceeded expectations during treatment thus far.

Please keep our little man in your thoughts. The odds are against him at this age, but he's been doing great, given the circumstances, and we know he'll beat this!

We invite you to follow Maxwell's progress on the CaringBridge site that we set up (Maxwell | Journal | CaringBridge), as that is where we have and will continue to post updates. If you visit the CaringBridge site, we just ask that you take a moment to sign the Guestbook and tell him how you know him and what city/state you're sending your support from - we'll have him read all of these when he's older and has beaten cancer!

Our friend Rebecca (rmittspt@yahoo.com) has organized a Bone Marrow Testing Drive (cheek swab) with BeTheMatch (HomePage) on Tues Nov 11th 3-7pm at Duke Regional Hospital. Please consider participating if you are local. If remote, Rebecca can get a kit sent to you for at home testing.



To help fundraise for this event, our friends Scott (AudiSScott on the forums) has designed and Erica is processing orders for "MaXwell Strong" T-Shirts. Shirts are $20 (+ship if remote) and proceeds will be split between BTM and Maxwell's family. Email Erica (Erica.Chorosevic@yahoo.com) with your order by Thurs 10/23 (there may be more, but our focus is one main order then). Youth sizes are also available: XS(4/6), S(6/8), M(10/12), L(14/16).



Our friend Jessie (jhaury@mac.com) has organized a fundraising website for those that would like to contribute to the variety of different expenses Maxwell will incur during his years of treatment. From bandages to formula to parking to prescriptions to care takers and beyond. The GiveForward website for Maxwell is here:
https://www.giveforward.com/fundrais...-s-cancer-fund



Thank you for all of the love and support. Maxwell needs and appreciates each and everyone that is rooting for him.