When Elijah was born in July 2005, he was welcomed with open, loving arms by his mom Dawn, dad Nate, and older brother and sister. At 7 months of age, the playful baby with the beautiful eyes seemed to loose his appetite. He had gone from getting up on all fours and looking like he was ready to crawl to simply laying on the floor. One evening it became clear to Dawn and Nate that Elijah needed medical attention immediately and so they decided to take him to an after-hours clinic. The doctor there sent them home saying it was likely a virus and he would get better on his own.
But, a mother's gut feeling told Dawn this was more than a virus. When Elijah woke two days later with what looked like "a severe scratch on his eye," she took him to a local pediatrician. After blood was drawn and sent for testing, the family was sent home to wait for the results. Dawn hadn't even reached her house when the nurse called her and told her she needed to come back to the office.
"That was when I knew something was really wrong. That was how I found out," Dawn said.
Elijah was rushed to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in critical condition. He was diagnosed with an aggressive form of infant ALL (acute leukemia). The leukemia cells had already begun infiltrating his spleen and liver. The liver and kidney were shutting down.
That began a yearlong round of chemotherapy treatment and a battle against cancer that continues today. Elijah recently celebrated his 2nd birthday while still under treatment.
This battle for their youngest baby's life has brought about a desire for Dawn and Nate to do something more. "Infant cancer is so rare, it is hard to get a lot of focus and research dollars to go there," Dawn said. "My hope is to bring a face and story to infant cancer ... so nobody has to experience the absolute horror that goes along with having a child with cancer."
That began a yearlong round of chemotherapy treatment and a battle against cancer that continues today. Elijah recently celebrated his 2nd birthday while still under treatment.
This battle for their youngest baby's life has brought about a desire for Dawn and Nate to do something more. "Infant cancer is so rare, it is hard to get a lot of focus and research dollars to go there," Dawn said. "My hope is to bring a face and story to infant cancer ... so nobody has to experience the absolute horror that goes along with having a child with cancer."