Category: Keaton Kiddos

In the Fall of 2023, Keaton’s Kiddo Kodiak was diagnosed with two rare and aggressive forms of cancer: Mixed Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) also known as ‘preleukemia.’

Their journey began one year earlier, in the Fall of 2022, when Kodiak was struck with a series of different seasonal illnesses. Kodiak’s mom Tonya shares: “In September, he got COVID, and then in November it was the flu, and then December RSV.”

Months before a clear diagnosis, Ellora was experiencing a loss of appetite, night sweats, and oversleeping. For Ellora, these symptoms were seen as normal for her or seen as natural changes in the growth of a 2-year-old. Eventually, she developed little spots on her hands and unexplained bruises on her body, which the doctors deemed Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), but after seeing an informative TikTok video on the symptoms Ellora was experiencing, her mom’s gut told her it was something more than a bleeding disorder.

14-year-old Samerah, best known as Sam has been battling quite the challenging journey, but with the love and support of her family, friends, and community she has been able to overcome so much. At the very young age of 2 months old, Sam was diagnosed with Neurofibromatosis. Neurofibromatosis is not an isolated disorder. It causes several different conditions and can lead to the development of tumors on the brain, spine, and the nerves that send signals between the brain and spinal cord.

Strong and optimistic Keaton’s Kiddo Pedro has a heart for soccer and music, and he absolutely loves Chick-Fil-A! Being a teen at just 14 years old, Pedro was sadly diagnosed with a brain tumor called Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma. Hear about Pedro’s journey from his point of view.

Keaton’s kiddo Blossom is a sweet and sassy 4-year-old who loves slime and all things girly! Her childhood cancer journey began when she was just two years old, diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.

Keaton kiddo Nolan is a sweet 7-year-old who loves to swim, play with RC trucks, and play video games. On June 27, 2023, Nolan was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma, a type of cancer that occurs when healthy B-Cells form in rapid growing cancer cells.

Keaton’s Kiddo Lilyana is a sweet and loving 4-year-old who enjoys spending time outdoors, doing arts & crafts, and playing with her LOL Dolls and number blocks. In May of 2023, just a couple of months after her 4th birthday, Lilyana and her family’s life was forever changed when she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, the second most common form of pediatric blood cancer found in children.

Meet Keaton’s Kiddo Jessenia. When she was just 9 years old, in 2018, her journey began after a scare she had while getting ready to meet her new baby cousin at the Hospital. As Jessenia was getting into the car, she suddenly turned pale and began gasping for air. Immediately, her mom called 911 and Jessenia was transferred to the ER by ambulance. After further tests, Jessenia was transferred to a local treatment hospital in the Sacramento area, and following more blood work, it was determined that Jessenia had cancer, and was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Meet 12-year-old Keaton’s kiddo, Gurneet! Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on January 7, 2022, Gurneet has been an outstanding fighter, remaining strong, hopeful, and resilient. Despite being diagnosed during such a pivotal time, Gurneet has blossomed into a bright and beautiful teenager, finding her love for volleyball, makeup, nails, and music! Since being referred to our Family Navigator program, our team has shared support to Gurneet and her family in various ways, but most recently, we were honored to join our alliance partners at the Sweet Dreams Foundation, and Bell Bros, in partnership with a Lennox representative, and found unique ways to act as a community and brighten Gurneet’s journey.

Meet Keaton’s Kiddo Jagger who is a ray of sunshine, always positive and full of life! He loves talking to people, playing board games, Spiderman universe, Paw Patrol, playing with his brother, and making other people laugh. At the end of February, he turned 5 years old, and last month, walked across the stage with pride to receive his preschool diploma, reaching HUGE milestones and achievements worth celebrating! At just 4 years old, in May of 2022, Jagger was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, (ALL), a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow and is the most common type of cancer in children, accounting for about 30% of all childhood cancers.