Play Yard Fun for Julian
Julian was an infant, just 6 months old, when his family took him to the ER for spiking fevers and constipation. They knew something wasn’t quite right, but did not expect the diagnosis they were about to hear. On February 19, 2020, after testing and analysis, his doctors shared that Julian had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Hearing the words, “Your child has cancer”, was life changing to the family. Terrified that his fraternal twin, Jayden, might also be sick, he was tested as well. Fortunately, Jayden’s tests showed he was healthy, but continues to be tested on a yearly basis.
Julian was then admitted to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago for intense treatments. The family often wondered about all the “how’s, when, where, why’s” but they were not able to be answered. What they did see is their young son, Julian, fighting for his life and there wasn’t anything more they could do for him. They had seen their son at times stop breathing and suffer numerous seizures, sometimes lasting up to 17 minutes. He was then highly sedated to protect him from any further damage.
Julian’s doctors conducted a CT scan which showed blood on the right and left front sides of his brain. Blood transfusions, steroid treatments, and platelet transfusions were initiated to strengthen Julian for his fight ahead. Chemotherapy would be the next course of treatment for young Julian. His parents continued to hope and pray for the best, and put their trust in the doctors. To compound Julian’s issues, they found out that he also has another form of leukemia, Mixed Phenotype Acute Leukemia (MPAL). It is very rare for children to have more than one type of leukemia occurring at the same time. Despite this, Julian remains a fighter. At 22 months old, he was able to return home, while in his maintenance phase of treatment.
It was Julian’s mother who reached out to A Special Wish - Chicago, in hopes of a special gift for her son. After much consideration of what could best benefit her son, a patio with play equipment was the wish requested. His Special Wish Team got on the request, and began the process of making this happen for this very deserving child. The patio was completed in July 2022, with a special presentation with the family occurring shortly after. They now have a safe area for Julian and his brother, Jayden, to play and enjoy themselves. The family also shared that Julian is officially in remission! It was with great pleasure that A Special Wish - Chicago and his Special Wish Team could help in providing some pleasure to Julian and his family. Congratulations, Julian!!
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