Thomas Story (via@livestrong)

Thomas’ Story

by Brooke McMillan LAF Staff

My name is Thomas, I‘m 14 years old, and I have survived cancer 3 times. I’m here with my oncologist, Dr. Sharon Lockhart from the Children’s Blood and Cancer Center at Dell Children’s Medical Center, and also a few of my friends who are also cancer survivors. David, Jack, and Elizabeth.

Me and My Sister Bella

I have been battling leukemia off and on for over 11 years now. I got it first when I was three years old, and went through chemotherapy for a little over 3 years.

When I was 11, I found out that I had relapsed the day before Thanksgiving. I started chemotherapy again, only this time, it was stronger than it was before. I was in the hospital most of the time and missed the rest of 6th grade, and only went to 7th grade part-time. Right after I just started going to 8th grade I found out I had relapsed again, and this time, it was in my central nervous system

I had to withdraw from school again, and get back on very heavy chemo. In November last year, my mom and I moved to San Antonio for over 3 months, where I had a stem cell transplant using the umbilical cord blood that had been publicly banked by some very generous couples. We will never know whose cord blood saved my life, but I am so grateful to them for donating.

Me in my LIVESTRONG shirt. My name is on the back as an honoree.

I’m now in the 9th grade at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy at LBJ high school. All the treatments have affected my joints and bones, and I will be having surgery on my hips in the next few months, and I also have osteoporosis. Most people don’t realize that for many of us kids who get cancer, we will have health issues for the rest of our lives from the treatment that saved us.

Thank you, Mayor Leffingwell, for issuing this proclamation. Not many people know that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Did you all know that cancer is the #1 disease killer of children, more than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS combined? It’s actually true. 40,000 kids are currently in treatment for cancer in the US, and today, 36 more kids were diagnosed. Two-thirds of those who do survive face at least one chronic health condition. One quarter of survivors face a late-effect from treatment that is severe or life-threatening.

Me, other kids with cancer and Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell

I hope that by making more people aware of childhood cancer, more money will go for research for childhood cancers, and that maybe, in my lifetime, we will find a cure and also better treatments that don‘t cause all of these effects on our bodies; because I don’t ever want any other kid like me to have to go through what I’m still going through.

Elizabeth, David, Jack and I have a lot more to do in this world, and we want the chance to do it all. Maybe one day, I’ll even be a Senator.

Once again, thank you for doing this for all us kids with cancer.

-Thomas Molina
LIVESTRONG offers help to survivors of childhood cancer. Please contact LIVESTRONG at 1-866-673-7205 for more information.