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                  - Mark Twain
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LEUKEMIA... the word still makes me lose my breath.

Stephen was 4 years old when he developed a sudden onset of a fever.  Little did we know, at
that very moment, a war was raging inside his little body.  Stephen quickly became fatigued,
pale and listless.  He had stopped eating and drinking, and he could barely stay awake.  His
health was deteriorating  by the minute.  His temperature was reaching 104.7 and was not
responding to Tylenol, Advil, or cool baths; we were terrified.  Our first visit to the pediatrician's
office determined Stephen had Pneumonia, and an antibiotic was prescribed.  After 2 days of
not making any progress, we called the doctor again only to have another, stronger antibiotic
prescribed.  We waited patiently for a recovery that was not coming.  We needed to go back to
the doctor.   We carried Stephen into the pediatrician's office and waited to be seen as he lay
on his father's lap, sleeping.  His breathing was labored and his heart was pounding.  The
doctor looked at him and was visibly concerned.  He directed us to a local hospital for a chest
x-ray and blood work.  We were instructed to return to his office upon completing his orders, and
he informed us that he would have preliminary results at that time.  We did as was instructed
and went through the motions while desperately trying to not think of the possibilities that lay
ahead.  We watched our little boy struggle to stay awake long enough to have his chest x-rayed
and then he lay limp as they drew his blood.  We returned to our doctor's office and saw
immediately that he had Stephen's results in hand.  We were told that our son was in grave
danger at that very moment.  His blood supply had depleted, and he only had a third of the
blood his body needed to survive.  He couldn't explain to us what was happening.  Although we
pressed for an understanding, he had no answers.  We rushed to Stephen to Hasbro Children's
Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.  

The car ride to the hospital was agonizing.  Stephen slept in the back seat while his father and I
were completely overwhelmed with fear.  We fought back tears and struggled to keep from
coming unglued for one another.  Upon arriving at Hasbro, Stephen was whisked away into the
Emergency Room, and once again, more blood was taken while we waited.  Through all the
chaos, I recall staring at a name-tag.  It read, "Peter E. Manly, MD," and just below his name, the
words, "Hemotology/Oncology" were written.  I began to unravel and fought to keep it together.  I
gained a moment of "mother's protection" and instantly explained to this man, almost pleading
with him, that he was in the wrong room.  I thought to myself..."I just want him to leave.  Please
God, don't let him say a single word to us."  I simply wanted this man, and his name-tag, out of
my boy's room.  That man, who would end up saving our son's life, looked at us with compassion
and understanding and explained that they did not know what was happening to Stephen, but
that they would have to perform a bone marrow biopsy to determine a diagnosis.  I don't know
how I found the words, but I asked what they were looking for in Stephen's bone marrow and
that was it... the word was spoken and there was no turning back.  His answer was...
"LEUKEMIA."

Stephen was admitted into the Hasbro Children's Hospital and immediately received several
blood transfusions, which ultimately saved his life.  The bone marrow biopsy was performed the
next morning, and on that day, every parent's worst nightmare became our reality.  On October,
27, 2005, in a conference room filled with doctors, nurses, social workers and child life
specialists, Stephen was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  That date will forever
represent devastation and strength for us.  We fell apart; we put ourselves back together, and
we began the most difficult and powerful fight of our lives... saving Stephen.  

Stephen's biopsy showed his bone marrow to be 97% Leukemia cells.  We were told he would
endure three and a half years of chemotherapy.  We were told he would lose his hair.  We were
told we would spend countless nights in the hospital.  We were told that the medicine that had to
be used to save his life would make him sick and carried possible side effects as damaging as
the cancer itself.  His treatments began immediately and included surgery to place a port in his
chest, as well as chemotherapy in forms of oral medication, injections, transfusions and even
spinal taps, which would carry the chemotherapy into his central nervous system.  The
information flowed like a river, and all we could do was draw our strength from this little boy and
let him lead us in this journey.  Our struggles pale in comparison to his.  He was fighting for his
life at the tender age of four.  

He would be tested again in eight days to see how his body was responding to the treatment
protocol, and that result would determine the rest of his treatments, as well as give an indication
of his long-term prognosis. Eight days later, his second bone marrow biopsy revealed no
evidence of Leukemia.  Stephen responded exceptionally well to the treatments and was in
remission. A light of hope emerged... a cure rate... a survival rate... we were told Stephen has a
90% chance for a cure.  He would survive.

The horror of what Stephen's life would be as he battled this disease slowly melted away in the
months that followed.  We realized that Stephen's quality of life would not be compromised, as
we had once feared.  We learned that the advancements in Leukemia research has allowed for
our son to not only live a normal life while battling cancer, but it has also given him the ability to
win his battle.  

Stephen is currently 7 years old and is two and a half years into his treatment protocol.  He is
scheduled to complete therapy in January of 2009.

LEUKEMIA... the word that robbed our 4 year old son of his health, his innocence, and his
childhood... the word that shattered us and made us crumble into pieces... the word that invoked
such fear, which can not be measured, has now been replaced with a new word... SURVIVOR.  
We know that Stephen will be a true survivor in every definition of the word, and he will carry this
experience with him throughout his life, making a difference in the lives of others.

-Nina Unsworth, the proud mother of a SURVIVOR.
Copyright 2008 Flip It For Life TM, 2008 All Rights Reserved
Stephen's Story