It’s actually not, our story. It’s all about his story. Charles, our brave encouraging, inspiring, faith filled, trouper. Charles was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia Saturday July 19, 1997 at the age of 9 years old. The diagnosis was confirmed after a bone marrow biopsy Sunday July 20, 1997, during a family meeting with a panel of pediatric oncologists. We were told we must begin treatment immediately. The alternative would be Charles had two weeks to live therefore no time for a second opinion in my mind. Two weeks?! My child has cancer?! What?! I sat there in that meeting thinking no way this is happening to us, this can’t be real. This kind of thing happens to other people. Well guess what? We are now in the other people group.

Charles began treatment immediately. We had no idea what we were in for. Not really, enough thought they provided the plan. Every child’s experience is very different. We were advised Charles's prognosis of being cured was 90%. Charles had 82 months of rigorous chemotherapy therapy; he lapsed three times while on treatment which meant his prognosis on being cured lessen every time. Charles spent about 50% of the time in the hospital and the clinic daily for treatment or some complication from treatment for one issue or another. He had more spinal tabs than I can even count at same day surgery, radiation, multiple visits in ICU, surgery to remove scar tissue from around his heart. His heart, YES, from the tender age of 9 to 15 Charles experienced so many setbacks whilst on treatments and complications the doctors did not see coming. There were so many talks about him not making it but “God”. I would be upset and try to keep it together. Charles would look at me and tell me it was going to be alright. What is happening here I would think. I’m the mother, he’s the child. Charles handled it all with such grace.

Unfortunately for my family Charles was not healed on this side. He passed on May 8, 2004. We miss him tremendously. He was definitely on the road to pursuing his Hollywood Oscar. Even though things didn’t go the way we planned he is still our star. We have created this foundation in his honor to keep his memory alive and be a ray of sunshine and joy in other families as he was to ours and everyone who knew him. Please join us now and bring joy, sunshine, and light to these families.

ChuckieB4Life