HOPE...Meet Braden:
Braden was admitted to Children's Mercy on Friday, December 28, 2007 after a visit to the ER for abdominal pain. After countless tests and scans Braden was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma. Braden didnt give up. He fought long and hard! Those cancer cells had nothing against the superhero that was fighting them off! Even though Braden was in the hospital for long stays fighting for his life, that smile never left his face. The Hofen family had complete faith that Braden would be healed. There was a huge battle going on- and Braden was winning.
I know there is no known cure for neuroblastoma. It is rare and agressive. Braden was given the chance to be a kid again when he went into Remission! There was no evidence of disease in Bradens body! The family, of course, must have been ecstatic! Their baby boy was done with the treatments. Done with all the pain. In the back of their mind they knew that NB had a great relapse rate. Even after Braden beat the odds of NB (which has a 30% survival rate) it would of been stronger, and extremly harder to beat a neuroblastoma relapse.
On August 11, 2009 the Hofen family learned that Braden's cancer relapsed and there is no known cure for relapsing neuroblastoma. They were given a choice of either quitting and allowing him to die or continuing with treatment in the hopes of prolonging his life a bit longer. They chose to fight. Braden has had two MIBG treatments in Philadelphia as there are only 5 hospitals in the US equipped to do MIBG treatments. It is an IV injection of a radioactive isotope that attaches to neuroblastoma cells and can kill them. Braden's response was favorable but cancer remained. He is currently going through chemo rounds of Irinotecan and Temodar in the hopes of killing the remaining cancer. We all battle and join in BRADEN'S MIGHTY FIGHT!
Please keep Braden and his family in your prayers as Braden fights to beat this cancer once and for all! We love you so much Braden!
GO Braden!!!
Updates:
- www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradenh
- www.Twitter.com/BradensHope
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