Huxley, called Hux by his family, is 6 years old and in first grade. He’s a party animal who will stay awake all night, and loves dancing, swimming, and being outside. He is nonverbal but will let you know if he likes something or not – like his favorite TV show, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, which helped keep him going through his cancer treatment.

At birth, Hux was diagnosed with Phelan-McDermid syndrome. It was recommended he get yearly brain MRIs, so Hux had his first at 1 year old. He had to skip his second MRI due to COVID. Around this time, he started exhibiting concerning symptoms like regression and some worsening balance issues. A few months after turning 3, Hux’s MRI showed a frontal brain tumor.

Hux underwent brain surgery on June 30, 2021. Two days later, on July 2, he was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT).

Treatment started July 21. Hux had induction chemo, three rounds of high dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplants, and 33 treatments of radiation. He rang the bell on April 12, 2022, and has remained cancer-free ever since!

Hux’s family hopes that he can continue to live a cancer-free life. He is their hero.

“During Hux’s treatment, he spent some time on the ventilator, and NOTHING sedated him,” said Courtney, Hux’s mom. “I remember thinking, ‘what a fighter!’” Courtney also recalls that once treatment ended in February 2023, doctors found an enhancement on Hux’s scan. He ended up getting a biopsy on March 15 which revealed radiation damage. On July 10, Hux started hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat the damage, although others warned Courtney that since it was on his brain it wouldn’t work. But by August 1, they were proven wrong – the damage was more than half gone! Courtney and Hux’s family were overjoyed that the treatment was working, and Hux was approved for 20 more rounds. However, shortly after, the unthinkable happened: Hux coded. He received CPR and was rushed to the ER. Once stable, he was admitted to the PICU where he stayed for five days with no clear diagnosis. After, they found out Hux had a fever going into treatment. It has been a year since this scare, and Hux has been doing well. He has checked off cosmic bowling and releasing water lanterns off his bucket list!

To those who may also be experiencing a childhood cancer diagnosis, Courtney says that “the road may be winding, and you might even get lost along the way, but with the help of the right people you will always find your destination.”

She hopes that a cure will be found for childhood cancer and believes that raising awareness through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is the way to get there.

“Even if life doesn’t always give us the gifts we were hoping for, the real gift is life itself.” - Master Fu from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

Throughout treatment, Hux’s family would also say, “CATACLYSM ATRT!” – a quote derived from Hux’s favorite show, where “cataclysm” is the character Cat Noir’s superpower, which means “to destroy”.

Information provided by Courtney, Huxley’s mom
Updated September 2024