When Sam and Katie found out that their 9-month-old son had cancer, a happy ending felt like the farthest thing from reality. 

It was 2019 when the couple took their son, Jude, for a routine checkup. Everything seemed to be going well until the pediatrician noticed a strange glint in Jude’s eye. Having worked as a child life specialist in the field of pediatric oncology for 8 years, Katie feared for the worst when they referred him to a pediatric ophthalmologist. 

It took two scans for the ophthalmologist to confirm Katie’s worst fear–Jude had a small tumor in his retina. He was officially diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a type of childhood cancer that originates in the back part of the eye. Having experience with childhood cancer proved to be both a blessing and a curse for Katie. “She knew all of the bad that came with it, that was the curse part,” explained Sam, “The blessing, though, was that she knew exactly how to take care of him.”

Two months before his first birthday, Jude started chemotherapy. The road ahead was intimidating. “I had to sign a waiver recognizing that he could die,” said Sam. For two rounds, Jude was given chemotherapy through a catheter placed in his groin. The catheter allowed doctors to deliver the medication to an artery that also connected to his eye. This therapy worked for a short time, until scar tissue in the artery forced them to stop. Next, they put their faith in laser therapy, which uses a concentrated beam of light to destroy cancer cells.

During Jude’s two years of laser therapy, Sam and Katie had to figure out how to navigate two kids, one diagnosis, and a global pandemic. Given Katie’s background, they agreed that she would be the best advocate for Jude when only one parent was allowed to accompany him during treatment. But as the two years dragged on, Sam began to wonder, “Is he going to have to get lasers on his eye for the rest of his life?” 

Help kids like Jude this Giving Tuesday

In 2022, Sam and Katie decided to pick up everything and move from North Carolina to Ohio to be closer to family. At Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, they planned to try a treatment they hoped would be more effective – radiation therapy. Jude, who was 3 years old at the time, would ride for hours in the car with his mom to the treatment they believed might finally kick his retinoblastoma for good. 

That December, an MRI revealed that not only had Jude’s tumor grown back, but something appeared to be extending outside of his eye. Their medical team feared that if his cancer kept spreading, it would be a short trip to his brain. When the doctors began talking about possible outcomes, Jude’s parents were terrified. “It was a somber Christmas,” said Sam. 

They had two options: restart with chemotherapy or fully remove Jude’s eye. They consulted Jude’s current doctors in Cincinnati and former doctors at Duke Children’s Hospital in Durham. They all agreed – the best thing for Jude would be to remove his eye.

Since it was unclear if the cancer had gone beyond his eye from the scans, there was no telling if the surgery would be enough. Nevertheless, Jude bravely underwent the eye removal, and for three agonizing weeks, his family waited to find out if the cancer had gone with it. “That was just really, really hard,” said Sam, “Just not knowing what the outcome was going to be and not knowing whether he was going to die.”

By mid-January, the results of Jude’s next scan were in, and Sam and Katie got their happy ending – Jude was cancer-free. Right now, Jude is proudly sporting his prosthetic eye, making his way through kindergarten with an amazing imagination and a love for Star Wars. Jude’s favorite thing about his prosthetic eye is showing people the little Batman logo on the side. After battling cancer for most of his life, Jude displays his battle scar with pride.

While Jude’s parents hope that he will learn to embrace his story as he gets older, they do their best to lead by example by giving back to organizations like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) to help more families find better outcomes. Today, Sam continues to be a voice for kids fighting cancer as a member of the ALSF Advisory Board.

Sam and Katie know that “life is precious.” And while they are careful to count their blessings, they’re also aware that there are so many families with stories very different from theirs, and that is why their family continues to fight. “This is a battle we all have to fight together,” said Sam, “And we can do it through moments of joy, whether it’s hosting a lemonade stand or supporting others or supporting businesses that are getting involved.” 

This Giving Tuesday, you can help families with children like Jude who are fighting right now to get lifesaving treatments. Donate today!