For the first two years of Jared’s life he was like any other child. Then one day in July of 2003 when Jared was 2 years old, our whole life was turned upside down. Jared was complaining that his belly hurt, being a nurse myself, I started feeling his belly and felt a mass in his abdomen that did not belong there. That day we went to the pediatrician and were referred to the oncology clinic the following morning for an evaluation. This was the scariest day of our lives.

Jared underwent scans and tests and it was determined that he had a cancer.  The mass on his adrenal gland was a form of cancer known as neuroblastoma. Jared had stage IV neuroblastoma.

The next year Jared underwent treatment for his disease at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Hershey Medical Center, which entailed multiple doses of chemotherapy, surgeries, a double stem cell transplant and radiation. Jared has been considered disease free since December 2003 and off treatment since April 2004. We thank God everyday for our miracle child.

Jared is now a very healthy 9-year-old child. If you didn't see the scars on his chest from his central lines or the scar on his belly where his grapefruit sized tumor was removed, you would have no idea he went through anything. He seems as normal as normal can be with no major side effects from his treatment.

We have been blessed that Jared is cancer free and has been since 2003. Having a child with cancer changes your life forever. You learn to live life one day at a time and appreciate all the small things in life, because you are aware that life as you know it could change at any time. 

Written by Connie Strayer, Jared’s Mom
12/10