Liam’s Fight | Neurofibromatosis (NF) & Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML)| November 2015

Playful.  2.  Beautiful.  Perfect.  Loved.  Charming.
Adores his Momma.  Elmo is his favorite.
Loves to climb stairs, just to see who will come scoop him up in their arms.

This is Liam.

I started telling his story here.  But in the short time since I last blogged his beautiful face, I have more to tell.
In the last few weeks, Liam was diagnosed with JMML.  Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia.
A rare form of leukemia associated with Neurofibromatosis (NF).

Laughter.

While I love to photograph lives, tell stories… some stories are harder to tell.
Inside glimpses of tremendous courage, in remarkably frightening circumstances, rocks me.
As a mother, my heart beat faster.  Breath quickened.
While I know God is greater than all our circumstances, sometimes it’s hard to see His face through the fog of pain.
Sometimes… it seems dark.

Then… it struck me.  This 2 year old boy is certainly feeling low.  Sick.  Pain.
But here he is, smiling.  Trusting.  Depending.  Because he’s not alone.
He’s loved.  Though he couldn’t articulate it, he knows his Mother’s character.
She’s with him, all the way.

His bravery exposed.  My heart settles… breathing steadies.

Simple gestures and a knowing:  We got this.

Playing through pain.

I brought Mommy Starbucks – I brought Liam cake pops.
A certain 2 year old boy was determined to get them!

Calling the nurse.  lol!

Offering.

Chasing.  🙂

Their bond and connection is beyond a normal parent child relationship.
Liam just knows:  Mommy is fighting alongside of him.
And that is more than enough.

Smiling, as always, through it all.

Doing what allllll 2 year old boys do.  🙂

I do not have words for the care I witnessed.
This staff is EXCEPTIONAL.

Again, WE’VE GOT THIS.

I cannot say enough good things about Cook Children’s Medical Center.
The words Children’s and Hospital should never have to go together.
But as they do, this is the finest children’s medical establishment I’ve ever seen.
The staff.  The environment – simply everything about it – brings normalcy to children facing life-threatening illness.
So, when it’s Halloween, what else would you expect?  Staff and patients all get to dress up.
And children get to trick or treat.

Liam reaches for Cole.  He cries each time they are separated.

I’ve learned that chemo is painful.  On top of everything else… treatment hurts.

Mommy’s arms make every. thing. better.

Trust.

With deep gratitude to all the Cook Children’s Medical Staff for all you are doing to love children to wholeness.  You are heroes.
To the Smith family, we are with you.  Straight up:  #TeamLiam.  That’s all.

While Liam was diagnosed just a few short weeks ago, Cole, the family’s health insurance provider, was put on an unpaid leave of absence.
She can retain health benefits, as long as she can continue to pay for them out of pocket.

Cole is used to helping others, never asking for it.  We aren’t asking.  As a community, we love this family.  So, her family, friends and neighbors have set up a Go Fund me account, to help meet some of the every day expenses and costs for health insurance, during Liam’s course of treatment and recovery, which will probably span 10 months in total.  He’s currently undergoing Chemo in isolation.  This Thanksgiving, he will undergo a stem cell transplant, followed by a lengthy period of isolation while he recovers.

Every little bit helps.  Many small donations make a big difference.  If you would like to support this family while they fight for their son, please visit the Team Liam GoFund me page.

Thank you, Cole, for sharing your Liam… your journey with me.  You are brave.  Remarkable.  Steadfast.  We all love you.

With gratitude,

Kate