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Boy & Girl of the Year
2012 Triangle Boy & Girl of the Year
2012 Boy of the Year
Joshua McBride
From the time he was born, Joshua McBride was a rambunctious, healthy baby who never got sick. We nicknamed him "JoyBoy" because he was always smiling. From morning till night, he was on the move! But things began to change during the summer of 2010 when Josh was 9 years old. He was having fevers and would complain of feeling tired or weak, just wanting to lay around - not the typical Josh who used the sofa and chairs for in-house trampolines. The fevers would only last a day or two and then it seemed that Josh would bounce back.
In late July, Josh was acting like himself with no fevers so our family decided to take a trip to Wrightsville Beach for a mini vacation before school resumed. Josh was usually the adventurous one whom we would have to scold for going out too deep or wandering off a little too far down the beach, but this time we knew something was wrong. Josh spent the entire time lying on a beach chair with the towel over his head. "I'm just too tired," he told us. Overnight the fevers returned, so I immediately called the pediatrician. The family all thought Josh had a case of mono, but when the blood work came back, the doctor knew something was very wrong. She did not reveal her suspicions to us, but sent us directly to Duke Hospital for tests.
When they told us the first test they were going run was for leukemia, I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. There was such a rush of emotions, but I had to be strong for Joshua. They admitted him that night and by the next day, they came back to us with the diagnosis - acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was devastating news. The only leukemia we had ever heard of was terminal. The hospital team spent a lot of time with the entire family that day explaining the disease and the accomplishments in research as well. When the doctors told us that research done in recent years improved the cure rate from 50% to 95%, it gave us all a wonderful hope of complete recovery for Josh.
We have seen a little boy grow into a young man during this difficult journey. He went from a needle phobic kid to a strong, resilient young guy. He has been curious about every drug and procedure, wanting to observe everything that is done. He watches the doctors and nurses and asks questions with intense interest and awareness. He has seen his own blood under a microscope, helped inject his meds into his port, and even had us video one of his spinal taps so he could watch it later! He now desires to become a doctor or research scientist. Talk about turning great obstacles into stepping stones! Josh is our hero!
We are all so thankful for the awesome accomplishments in leukemia research. It has given Josh a great chance, not just for recovery, but for life!
- Jerry and Deborah McBride
2012 Girl of the Year
Keely Thompson
On March 29, 2009, just two weeks prior to her fourth birthday, Keely Thompson was diagnosed with high risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Just four days prior, her youngest brother was born six weeks premature and was still in the NICU. In a week?s time, our family was thrown into the greatest battle of our life. This beautiful little girl who was full of life was suddenly thrust into a whirlwind of tests, surgery and medicine that would become her new life for over two and a half years.
Keely was always a fun loving energetic child who never complained of any pains and was rarely sick. After four nights of fevers and night sweats with no other symptoms, the pediatrician ruled it to be a virus even after her face exploded with hundreds of petechia while the pediatrician was trying to clean her ears. Then four days later another trip to the pediatrician began another guessing game. Leg pain had kept her up all night and she was barely able to stand on her feet because the pain was so bad. The pediatrician this time chalked it up to stress at home since a new baby was born and Mom and Dad were away at the hospital. We asked the pediatrician to run a blood test on a hunch and the ride of our life began.
The first month on treatment was extremely tough for Keely. The steroids caused her to be very lethargic and not feel herself at all. She did not even have the energy or desire to eat her birthday cake on her fourth birthday. But once her body became accustomed to the medicine, her spark came returned and she never looked back. She was a rapid responder to the chemo treatments and was quickly in remission. We made the best of our circumstances and always found a way to laugh and enjoy one another as a family. Our positivity and faith led us through the most difficult times during treatment. No child should ever have to fight so hard just to grow up and be able to live a fulfilling life? to do all of the things you and I have done. On behalf of our family and every other family that has or will ever hear those horrible words ?your child has cancer?, thank you for pouring yourself into something so much greater than you.
- Brian and Vanessa Thompson
