On September 12, 2018, Ryan was taken to Monmouth Medical Center because of an abnormal blood test.  We thought he would be home in few hours with a simple explanation as to why his white blood cell count was so low. Instead, he was taken by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center and admitted to the children's oncology unit where we were told he had Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

     Ryan has endured 4 rounds of chemotherapy and started his final round on February 25, 2019 with almost the entire time spent in the hospital.  Because most people don't know Ryan, we have to tell you what kind of kid he is.  Ryan is selfless, caring, honest young man who fights like a warrior, with a smile.  

     During Ryan's first round of chemotherapy, my wife and I were in the hospital with him.  At this point, he had pneumonia, 102.5 degree fever, shivering with leukemia.  He looks over at me and asks if I had a blanket.  I asked if he was cold.  He responded by saying, "No Dad, you look cold."  Another example of his character, at the hospital with his Mom, he had nosebleeds along with sores in his mouth and down his esophagus, his mother said to him how sorry she was that he has to go through this.  His response, "If anybody in the family was going to get it, I'm glad it was me.  I wouldn't want anybody else to deal with it."  That's a warrior.  

     Believe me, Ryan will beat this!  These two stories embody Ryan's character and what makes me proud to be his Dad. This has been an incredibly difficult journey for the entire family, but we are closer and stronger for having endured this.

 

   ** On April 5, 2019 after seven difficult months of treatment, five rounds of chemo, a stay in ICU with Sepsis, three bouts of pneumonia, a fungal lung infection, Ryan was discharged from Hackensack University Medical Center maintaining the same smile. Ryan has finished with his cancer treatment. Congratulations Ryan!

                                                                     Rob S.