It started like any normal day at the playground. A simple collision with another child felt like nothing more than a bump—something kids shake off all the time. When the headaches began, it seemed reasonable to assume it was just a mild concussion. We told ourselves all the things parents do: maybe he didn’t sleep well, maybe it had just been a long day, maybe he just didn’t feel like doing his homework.
The bruise gave us something to point to. A logical explanation.
But deep down, there was a quiet, growing feeling that something wasn’t right.
From Minor Symptoms to Major Concerns
What began as a small concern quickly escalated. A visit to urgent care turned into more doctor appointments, more tests, and more questions—questions no parent ever expects to ask.
Within what felt like an instant, everything changed.
Two weeks after the playground incident, the bruise hadn’t faded. The headaches continued. Something didn’t add up. A doctor trusted her instincts and urged further evaluation. That decision changed everything.
What we thought was a routine childhood injury became the moment our world shifted.
A Devastating Diagnosis: Medulloblastoma
Our son, Landon, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma—a rare and aggressive pediatric brain tumor that forms in the cerebellum, the part of the brain responsible for balance and coordination.
It’s a diagnosis no parent is ever prepared to hear.
In an instant, playground worries were replaced with hospital rooms, neurologists, and complex treatment plans.
Life After a Childhood Cancer Diagnosis
Life now looks completely different.
Our days revolve around hospital visits, treatment schedules, and waiting rooms instead of playdates and routines. There are still moments of normalcy, but they are often interrupted by the reality we now live in.
There’s a constant layer of uncertainty:
- Waiting for results
- Waiting for answers
- Waiting for the next step
Even on the good days, it never fully disappears.
As a family, everything has shifted. Priorities have become simpler. Time together means more. The small moments—laughing, sitting close, watching Landon just be a kid—carry a weight they never did before.
The Reality of Treatment
Medulloblastoma requires intensive treatment.
Landon has already undergone brain surgery. The road ahead includes months of chemotherapy and radiation. This journey is physically exhausting and emotionally overwhelming, with no clear timeline for recovery.
We don’t know when this chapter will end.
We only know we’ll face it together—one day at a time.
Who Landon Really Is
Landon is so much more than his diagnosis.
He is funny in that effortless, unexpected way kids are. He says things that catch you off guard and make you laugh when you need it most. He has a huge heart and a quiet strength that’s hard to put into words.
Even on the hardest days, he finds a way to smile.
He still wants to play. To joke. To just be himself.
That’s what stands out most—his ability to hold onto who he is, even through everything he’s facing.
There are moments that stay with you:
- The way he handles things no child should have to endure
- The questions he asks
- The resilience he shows without even realizing it
He reminds us every day what true strength looks like.
Why Childhood Cancer Research Matters
One of the hardest realizations has been how much is still unknown about childhood cancer.
For parents, there is nothing more difficult than wanting better answers—more effective treatments, clearer outcomes, and real certainty for your child.
That’s why funding childhood cancer research is so critical.
It means:
- Better, less toxic treatments
- More options for families
- Faster diagnoses
- Improved survival rates
It means hope—not just for Landon, but for every child and every family who will one day face this reality.
We hold onto that hope. That what is being done today can change what this looks like tomorrow.
