Meet Keaton Kiddo, Emilio! Emilio is a strong, six-year-old who loves going for walks, riding his brother’s bike and collecting Jurassic World dinosaurs. Emilio was recently diagnosed with Severe Aplastic Anemia, which is not considered a form of cancer but can still call for an identical experience.
Similar to cancer, Emilio’s diagnosis has caused unfortunate strain on him and his family. He and his mom have to travel a 4 hour round trip drive to get to his weekly appointments, which take up most of their day. Due to COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols, Emilo’s siblings are unable to be alongside him while he receives treatment. There are some moments when he misses his brothers more than others, but thankfully, Emilio has so much support from his parents, brother’s and surrounding family to help him stay positive.
Since being referred to Keaton’s, our Family Navigator Team has provided Emilio’s family with Arco gas cards to support their commutes to and from treatment. We also had the pleasure of putting together their family Hope Chest for him and his two siblings, Sebastian and Leonardo, which included items that were personalized according to their interests. We were lucky enough to meet Emilio’s mom in person and hand-delivered their Hope Chest during an appointment. It brought our team so much joy to see how happy all three kiddos were to receive their unexpected surprises!
Despite the journey ahead, Emilio continues to fight and uses his bright smile to keep his family going. We are so happy to continue to provide joy-filled experiences and other services for families like Emilio’s as they navigate their journey and help keep our mission in motion.
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