https://theathletic.com/218966/2018/01/23/a-young-leukemia-survivor-forms-a-bond-with-jayhawks-guard-malik-newman/
I think this is you/ him.
Yes, that is me. Thanks for sharing!
Quote from: MUDish on January 23, 2018, 02:59:02 PM
Yes, that is me. Thanks for sharing!
Very glad the little dude is doing well, dish.
Quote from: MUDish on January 23, 2018, 02:59:02 PM
Yes, that is me. Thanks for sharing!
KU? Ugh. Well... I suppose kids do need to see the world, and I'm sure you at least took solace in the certainty that Bradley wasn't going to make friends with any McD's All-Americans who would end up at UW.
really really nice story-hoping the best for you guys! malik is your angel
Great story. Thanks for posting.
Athletes have so much power to do good. Wonderful when one recognizes that. I'm with Bradley - Malik is my favorite player, too.
Quote from: MUDish on January 23, 2018, 02:59:02 PM
Yes, that is me. Thanks for sharing!
Dish, after 6 years of being an in-home caregiver for my parents, I could relate to your struggle of helplessly watching loved ones fight for things most of us take for granted. When the sick, fighting person is one's child, I can only imagine how the difficulty and pain is multiplied.
Well, after reading this article, I wanted to share how reading the facts of Bradley's initial diagnosis reminded me of a scary and serious (though much less challenging) diagnosis I received as a 12 year old grade schooler. I had been prone to sore throats as a youth, but had thankfully never had a strep infection. Well, after missing a day of school with a sore throat one spring, my Mom felt it wouldn't hurt to take me to the pediatrician the next day. That evening, she noticed a quick developing rash, but I felt ok. Well, before I could even make my 10a.m doctor appointment, I awoke the next morning and had brutal pain in my ankles, calves, and knees. I couldn't even walk, it was so bad. My Dad rushed home from work, and he and Mom carried me into the back seat of the car, and rushed me to the ER. It turns out, my sore throat was a strep infection which morphed in one day into Scarlet Fever, and by the next morning I had been diagnosed with full-blown Rheumatic Fever. My doctors were shocked, as most felt this disease had been mostly eradicated. RF attacks healthy joints and can even lead to cardiovascular damage, specifically valve issues. I was put on heavy antibiotics. A heart specialist was brought in and thankfully I appeared to be free of cardiac damage. Words cannot describe the fear I had at that tender age (and I was much older than Bradley upon diagnosis), and it was only later in life that I had learned how scared and emotional my parents had been. My two-week hospitalization was a cakewalk compared to what Bradley has been through, as once I got home, I basically returned to my everyday life with virtually no after-effects of my struggle.
I brought this to your attention because I am curious if initially the doctors considered childhood rheumatoid disorders like RF when Bradley complained of joint pain. Once a throat culture was done on me, the strep and SF/RF diagnosis was routine. It seems like you and Bradley's Mom did exactly the right thing by requesting the blood work immediately.
I just felt compelled to share how I felt upon reading of Bradley's initial symptoms. I was literally transported right back to that scary morning my joints gave out. Bradley is fighting a more serious ailment than I was, but he has none of my fear, and all of the love and support a youngster could hope for. Plus ten times the spirit and resolve I had to get better. You guys are always in my thoughts and prayers, and the prayers of the extended Marquette family.
Damn, Dish, I couldn't get through that without going into the bathroom myself.
Will watch Malik's progress - sounds like a great kid, too bad KU is involved.
Great to see the Dishlet doing so well!
Thanks guys and gals, I always appreciate all the love/support/prayers for Bradley and our family. I knew the article was coming out, but didn't want to post it, I figured you've all heard the story multiple times by now, and I know there are other people on this board who have gone through awful battles and lost, and some who are still going through them, and their stories and their fight is just as important as our's. Prayers up for all you fellow Scooper's.
To Zenyattas question on Bradley's feet. My wife and I thought it was odd that Bradley had foot pain, I myself have severe flat feet, and we thought he might be going through growing pains. I know that may sound ridiculous, but it crossed our minds. It was only after his diagnosis that we learned the foot pain he had been describing was a symptom of his leukemia.
The story was mentioned on CBS Sports Eye on College Basketball by Matt Norlander in the most recent episode.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/perfect-match-inside-project-44-and-how-late-andrew-smith-helped-save-2-year-old/
Here's the Norlander story. Guys, I can't stress how big a deal this is. One of my fellow firefighters, a man named Brian Cox who was once my probationer at Engine 30, is dying from cancer. He has been fighting it and suffering setback after setback. I read and watched the Norlander story with tears in my eyes.
Please, take the time to read this and go to Be The Match (https://bethematch.org/) to join the registry. You could literally save someone's life. Most of the time, if you are a match, they won't even need to take marrow, they will just take blood. For people like Dish's son, for Deegan Scott, for Andrew Smith, for Brian Cox, and for so many other people that are out there hoping against hope that a match is found to save their lives, this is their lifeline.
At first I was a bit confused by the article as I thought it was just the Kansas Jayhawks doing a local PR campaign where they do a meet and great, and from your posts I had dissected you and your family were from Chicago. After reading the entire thing Malik Newman is just a stand up guy. Having constant contact with you and your son from Mississippi and Kansas, as well as meeting with you constantly is such a great thing.
I hear a lot about athletes who go and make a child's dream for a single day and I think thats a pretty cool thing. Seeing Newman constantly make a young boys dream true just fills my heart.
Quote from: brewcity77 on January 25, 2018, 10:47:49 AM
https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/perfect-match-inside-project-44-and-how-late-andrew-smith-helped-save-2-year-old/
Here's the Norlander story. Guys, I can't stress how big a deal this is. One of my fellow firefighters, a man named Brian Cox who was once my probationer at Engine 30, is dying from cancer. He has been fighting it and suffering setback after setback. I read and watched the Norlander story with tears in my eyes.
Please, take the time to read this and go to Be The Match (https://bethematch.org/) to join the registry. You could literally save someone's life. Most of the time, if you are a match, they won't even need to take marrow, they will just take blood. For people like Dish's son, for Deegan Scott, for Andrew Smith, for Brian Cox, and for so many other people that are out there hoping against hope that a match is found to save their lives, this is their lifeline.
This. X Infinity.
Especially if you aren't white/European descent. The numbers are staggeringly poor for non white/European.
My daughter was 4 and gave her stem cells/bone marrow, she was running around the same night after the procedure.
Also, the Norlander Andrew Smith story is absolutely amazing. I got goosebumps reading it. I reached out to him on Twitter and heard back from him, thought it was amazingly well told from all three people/families perspectives. That story should be a movie.
I registered.
It was quick and easy. In my mind, not much different that being a blood donor or an organ donor.
Dish, keep fighting!
Looks like Bradley is the real Warrior among this bunch.
Prayers for his continued health.