Hoping for miracles...

Ben had another 3L bag of chemo drugs go through his body within 24 hours. He also had the same chemo drug injected into his spinal fluid. All part of the continuing treatment he receives every 2 weeks or so. Of course, he always has a winning attitude and appreciates everything the nurses and doctors are doing for him.

A bone marrow transplant is his best option for a cure, but there is no match in the world registry. A sibling would be the best chance but his sister, Stephanie, does not match. We are trying a relatively new thing by having another child through in vitro. The egg will be tested after only 5 cell division to make sure it is a match. It will then be

implanted into the uterus and hopefully come to term. When the child is born, we will then use the cord blood (from the umbilical cord) and transplant that into Benjamin. The trick is to be able to get enough eggs to test and for those eggs to withstand the manipulations involved with in vitro. Because Pam is older, we have been told that our

chances are nil that this will work. We are going to take those chances. If this doesn’t work, there is a 1 in 4 chance that having a child naturally will be a match. Miracles do happen, don’t they?

We are currently trying in vitro with the Reproductive Genetics Institute in Chicago which will test any eggs to see if they are a match for Ben. They have been extremely supportive though we’ve been told there is practically no chance it can work due to Pam’s age. Again, miracles do happen, don’t they?

So here we are continuing chemo not knowing whether the chemo or this next option will work. Meanwhile, Ben goes to school when he can. He’s doing great at school and loves it, as he has great friends and kids his age he can hang out with. He’s seem his share of adults and just wants to be a regular kid. That is our wish too. Ben continues to

write lots of stories and make many drawings.

Thanks to parents of a wonderful child I taught a few years ago, we are able to go to Disneyland in June. This was Ben’s wish this year. It’s such a happy place and one where he can forget all about his chemo. There are great people out there that are understanding of what we go through everyday. Without their support, this would be very tough to handle.

Today, his story was in the front page of the Vancouver Sun. We are hoping that this can get hospitals to inform parents of the possibilities that exist which, for some reason, hospitals don’t tell us. We have met many parents on the cancer ward over the years and this may give hope to other families in a similar situation. We have had many

responses to the article and this truly shows us that we are not alone in this fight that Benjamin is so courageously fighting. Thank you to those who have responded.

We keep hoping and praying it will all work out ... send us lots of positive energy!