NOVEMBER 2009

Ji Long

Ji's story is a demonstrative example of cancers lack of respect for nationality, economic standing, or social status. Cancer is no respecter of persons and it certainly had no respect for a little boy living far from his home with his single mother. 

Ji was born in China and emigrated to the Bahamas with his mom when he was 9 years old.  After living in the Bahamas for only a short time Ji became very sick with a dry cough that only seemed to get progressively worse over time.  

In October 2007, before Ji or his mother could even learn the language of the United States, they found themselves in the hospital discovering that Ji was extremely ill.  So ill in fact that the Nasau Hospital had him immediately flown to the Miami Children's Hospital in South Florida in a desperate attempt to save his life.  Ji almost lost his life on that terrifying plane ride here.  Once at Miami Children's Hospital, Ji was diagnosed with both T Cell Lymphoma and T Cell Leukemia.  It is difficult for someone of our own language to comprehend those words, but I imagine it must sound doubly foreign to a child and young mother of another tongue. 

Ji spent weeks in the ICU at Miami Childrens battling for his young life.  Once settled here in South Florida, Ji was transferred to the Joe DiMaggio Childrens Hospital for further treatment.  Ji received multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation to battle the disease raging war against his frail body.  While fighting for his life, he quickly began to learn the English language and even helped his mother communicate with his doctors and nurses the best he could.  Ji learned to understand the myriad of medicines he was to take and how and when to administer them.  After many rounds of chemo, Ji could no longer walk and became wheelchair bound.  It was not long before Ji's doctors realized he was going to need a bone marrow transplant if he was to have a fighting chance. Unfortunately, Ji's mother was not a perfect match for him and he has no siblings.  The National Bone Marrow donor registry is sadly underrepresented for minors.  There was not a match to be found.  

All out of options, Ji left South Florida and headed to North Carolina to have a risky bone marrow transplant where his mother would be a partial donor. This is a difficult procedure full of risks and side effects under the best circumstances.  Ji's circumstances were already dire.  His recovery has been full of side effects and infections. Ji developed Graft Verses Host disease after the transplant.  This is when the body attacks the donor tissue causing a whole new set of complications.  All the while Ji was undergoing chemotherapy to keep the cancer at bay.

Just this past month, in October 2009, Ji reached the two year mark of his diagnosis only to discover his transplant, which took place 8 months earlier, had failed.  Ji's battle continues as he attempts another transplant to save his life. 

All who meet Ji, from nurses to doctors to fellow patients,  fall in love with his winsome smile and strong spirit.  All who meet his single mother, who has not one family member at her side, is living in a foreign country, and barely speaks the language, are stunned at her strength and perseverance for her son. 

Children Battling Cancer, Inc. exists because of stories like Ji's.  These kids are warriors of a different kind.  They were drafted into a war they did not enlist, yet they fight valiantly.  Please pray for Ji and his mom Jenny as they continue this battle.