It’s hard to imagine how a stroke could be a blessing in disguise, but Joseph and Allison Turner believe it was for their son, Owen, when he was just 8 months old.

“The stroke caused all kinds of battles that we’re still battling today, eight years later, but it saved his life,” Turner said.

When Joseph noticed Owen wasn’t moving the right side of his body while playing with his baby on a Sunday morning in January 2014, he and Allison knew something was terribly wrong. In addition to the loss of movement, their otherwise happy and content baby was fussy and irritable. He was suddenly behaving differently than he had been just a few days earlier when Allison took Owen to his pediatrician to check out a few bumps that appeared on the top of his head. Initially thought to be cysts, the doctor scheduled Owen for a return visit the following Monday to have them rechecked. But the changes they saw in Owen that Sunday morning led them to rush to the nearest emergency room in Cleburne, Texas, just one day before their scheduled follow-up appointment with Owen’s pediatrician.

Things moved quickly at the ER. It was apparent to doctors there that Owen’s condition warranted a more specialized level of pediatric care than could be given at their hometown hospital, so doctors called a helicopter ambulance to transport Owen to Cook Children’s Medical Center. Joseph wanted to be at Cook Children’s as soon as the helicopter landed with his son, so he jumped in his truck to make the 30-minute drive to Fort Worth. Allison stayed behind with Owen to travel in the helicopter with him.

As they were waiting for the air transport doctors were simultaneously running a number of tests to try and determine the cause of his stroke and interrupt further damage as quickly as possible. A diagnosis came quickly, and it was beyond belief for Allison—acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a fast-growing blood cancer that worsens quickly if not treated.

“Absolutely not,” Allison said describing her initial reaction. “There must be something else. It can’t be. This is my perfectly healthy baby.”

But Owen was critically ill. Abnormal leukemia cells were quickly building up in his blood and crowding out normal cells, which Allison says thickened his blood and led to the stroke. The bumps that appeared days before turned out to be clusters of leukemia cells sitting on top of his head. Had the stroke not prompted the Turners to take Owen to the ER, doctors told the family he may not have lived to make it to his scheduled doctor’s appointment the next day.

Allison rode with Owen in the helicopter to Cook Children’s in shock. Their lives had just changed forever, but there was no time to dwell on their disbelief. At Cook Children’s, Owen was immediately admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and met by Kenneth Heym, M.D., a pediatric oncologist and medical director of Cook Children’s oncology program. Dr. Heym wasted no time treating Owen’s cancer. That very Sunday night, the Turner’s baby boy began his first round of chemotherapy.

For the next four months, Cook Children’s was the family’s home while Owen underwent chemotherapy treatment. They left twice, but only to stay a few days just down the road from the hospital at Ronald McDonald House Fort Worth. After completing the intense AML treatment protocol, Owen was discharged from Cook Children’s in May 2014 and returned home for the first time in months.

In a matter of days, Allison and Joseph went from knowing little to nothing about AML to becoming experts on the topic. They credit their relationships with other cancer families at Cook Children’s for learning the ropes. Allison recalls that Cook Children’s chaplains would often stop by for a visit with Owen, and she would sometimes take that opportunity to step out and visit with other moms on the unit.

“Talk to the other cancer families if you're on the cancer floor,” Allison said about the advice she gives to families facing a new cancer diagnosis. “Those people were our family. We still send Christmas cards every year to the families that were inpatient while we were inpatient. They were such a support system. They share in something that nobody else on the outside would ever understand. Meet, find and talk to other cancer moms and cancer families that are going through the same thing.”

Today, 9-year-old Owen is cancer free and loving life, despite having a few lingering issues as a result of the stroke, like weakness on the right side of his body for which he continues weekly therapy. The stroke also led to daily seizures. In 2018, Owen became the first patient at Cook Children’s to undergo a trailblazing endoscopic surgery that disconnects part of his brain to stop seizures.

Even with these challenges, Allison says her son is a happy, easy-going kid looking forward to a future full of possibilities. If Owen has anything to do with it, that future will include lots of golfing and fishing, scoring a few goals for his soccer team, and cheering on Dude Perfect as they attempt their epic stunts.

About AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a fast-growing blood cancer that originates in the bone marrow where blood cells are made. It starts with the abnormal growth of cells that form white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. The abnormal cells end up crowding out normal blood cells, which can lead to infection, anemia and a tendency to bleed easily.

Of the more than 10,000 children diagnosed with cancer each year, nearly one in three cases are a form of leukemia. There are two main types of acute leukemia, with AML being the least common one in children.

Symptoms may be hard to spot. In Owen Turner's case, his symptoms began with bumps on the top of his head and escalated quickly resulting in a stroke. 

Other symptoms may include:

●     Easily tires, is weak or dizzy

●     Pale or ashen skin

●     Shortness of breath, trouble breathing or an unexplained cough

●     A fever or infection that doesn't get better

●     Bleeds or bruises easily, the gums may bleed often when brushing the teeth, recurrent nosebleeds

●     Continual bone or joint pain

●     A swollen belly

●     Swollen lymph nodes on the sides of the neck, underarms or groin area

●     Headaches, seizures, vomiting

●    Non-itchy rashes caused by bleeding under the skin

Acute myeloid leukemia is aggressive. It can move into other parts of the body and, if left untreated, can lead to death within six months or less.

If your child experiences any of the above symptoms, it is wise to talk with your pediatrician about them.

Due to current COVID-19 restrictions, only one parent or caregiver can attend appointments with patients. So each Tuesday, Aiden and his mother, Lori, attend appointments at Cook Children's where he receives chemotherapy. During his treatments, Aiden's father, Chuck, waits patiently outside of the building until Aiden is taken into a room with a window.

Once Aiden can see outside, Chuck hosts a one-man, music-free dance party for Aiden (and anyone else who happens to see him). The two are usually on the phone, talking to each other at the time. Aiden will call out dance moves for Chuck to do, and he even does a little dancing himself. Chuck says he does it to lift Aiden's spirits.

"The restrictions during the pandemic made me feel helpless. And the only way I knew to cope was to somehow be there during his treatments," said Chuck. "When he was able to come to the window, it just came natural to me to wave and carry on, which turned into me dancing!  I love knowing that it makes him giggle and smile, and let’s him know that his struggle is my struggle. I would never want him to think that he is going through this without his dad."

"I think it’s tough to break up a close knit family of four in these days, only allowing one parent to be present during Aiden’s clinic treatments and equally hard to not have his big brother Camden by his side too!" said Lori. "The population of kids present are all immunocompromised, so it makes sense, just a tough pill to swallow! I absolutely love listening to his giggles & watching him belly laugh at Chuck’s fancy dance moves. He can be having a terrible day, which transfers towards us some times too, and it’s instantly better once he sees his dad shake his booty. Aiden’s smile is contagious and can light up a room, even behind his mask."

The Yielding family is hosting a blood drive on Saturday, Oct. 3 in Fort Worth, Texas. Click here to sign up.

“I know I’m stronger than I look and I have a family that loves me and is always here for me. My mom told me that God gives sickness to kids who are strong and can handle the fight. That’s why I’m not sad. God does what he does for a reason and I know I’m going to get better.”

Yesenia started her freshman year of high school last month. While she may not be a typical teenager, she doesn’t let cancer slow her down. She plays tennis and is planning for her future. She wants to become a pediatric nurse and help other young cancer patients get better.

Dora says the hardest part of their cancer journey was the initial diagnosis, but there has been some good to come out of it all.

“It was like a bucket of cold water had been poured on me, as if time froze and they said you’re stopping here. I didn’t have time to react,” said Dora. “We learned a lot about her illness and about how to be strong. It’s been difficult, but it has actually built our bond stronger.” 

About #erasekidcancer

Each September, Cook Children's shares stories and raises funds in honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The money raised for #erasekidcancer supports life-saving research, treatments, technology and programs for patients and families at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. Please help us create hope for kids, families and caregivers who are fighting every day to #erasekidcancer.

“Kallvin has four sisters between the ages of three and eleven. All of them want my attention. My husband and sister help take care of the girls, but it’s still very hard for me to be there for them and be at the hospital,” Brenda said.

She says her son’s cancer diagnosis came as a complete surprise. And when he was admitted to Cook Children’s, she was amazed to see how many other children were facing the same challenges.

“I would have never imagined there were a lot of kids with cancer or the amount of suffering their parents go through.”

She says the families of childhood cancer patients need a lot of support, emotionally and beyond.

“They spend a lot of time in the hospital without many people coming to visit. I would invite the public to get to know these families and patients, or even just smile when you see them.”

She also says that kind of support is what has helped her through this difficult time.

“I would also like to thank our friends and family for every visit, every phone call, every action of love and encouragement. I keep all of those in my heart. Even though the pain has been great, I am sure, that God doesn’t get it wrong.”

About #erasekidcancer

Each September, Cook Children's shares stories and raises funds in honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The money raised for #erasekidcancer supports life-saving research, treatments, technology and programs for patients and families at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. Please help us create hope for kids, families and caregivers who are fighting every day to #erasekidcancer.

“By the time she was 1, she had been in the hospital more than out. She had a feeding tube along with countless tests, blood draws, exams and procedures,” said Vicki.

Bel was 5 years old when her parents noticed a pea-sized growth on her nose. Vicki’s gut told her something was wrong, and she was right. Cancer would soon take the roof of Bel’s mouth and damage her vocal chords, leaving her only able to speak in a whisper. After several rounds of chemo, Bel's cancer was in remission. While her family was relieved by the good news, bad news was not far behind. They later learned that Bel has what’s known as a B-cell disorder, meaning the cancer could rear its ugly head again.

“We have our share of bad days, but for the most part Bel is a ray of sunshine for all of us. Her smile lights up the room and she dances her way into the hearts of so many,” said Vicki.

Bel is being monitored closely by her physicians at Cook Children's to make sure she remains cancer-free. For Vicki and the rest of Bel's family, it's hard not knowing what will happen next, but they are taking one day at a time.

"The future is scary, but Bel teaches all of us so much about living life to the fullest every day. Her faith, strength, hope, courage and love are contagious!"

About #erasekidcancer

Each September, Cook Children's shares stories and raises funds in honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The money raised for #erasekidcancer supports life-saving research, treatments, technology and programs for patients and families at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. Please help us create hope for kids, families and caregivers who are fighting every day to #erasekidcancer.

He was just days away from his second birthday in August 2016 when his mom, Arielle, noticed something was wrong with his arm.

"I thought it was broken. We took him to the emergency room and I thought he was just going to need a cast and we would go home," said Arielle.

Instead, Arielle and her husband learned that Adam had neuroblastoma. The cancer was eating up the bone in his arm and had spread throughout his little body.

"The whole scan looked like someone took a highlighter to it, that's how much cancer there was," she said.

In the months that followed, Adam went through seven rounds of chemotherapy, 12 rounds of radiation, two bone marrow transplants and a surgery to remove a tumor that had developed near his left kidney.

Today, Adam has no evidence of cancer in his body. He's in his last phase of treatment and if all goes well, he could officially be deemed cancer-free by February.

"It's scary because he carries a gene that makes it possible for the cancer to come back anytime, but we try not to think about that," said Arielle.

Helping to ease that worry is a new member of the family. Arielle gave birth to a little girl earlier this month, making Adam a big brother for the first time.

"Her name is Maddison Paige," said Arielle. "She has made everything better and we are so happy she is finally here."

About #erasekidcancer

Each September, Cook Children's shares stories and raises funds in honor Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The money raised for #erasekidcancer supports life-saving research, treatments, technology and programs for patients and families at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. Please help us create hope for kids, families and caregivers who are fighting every day to #erasekidcancer.

See the full story and video here.

In October of 2012, at the age of 16, Tori was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma stage four cancer in her left pelvic bone. From the beginning of her journey with cancer, the Mansfield, Texas native decided that her only option was to keep moving forward. Amidst the confusion of being diagnosed with cancer and admitted to Cook Children’s as a teenager, Tori found comfort when her father told her about the newly opened Child Life Zone Music and Recording Studio.

“If I had to be anywhere, I’m glad it was here. They do a really good job at trying to make a children’s hospital more accommodating to young adults. It’s awkward being in the middle of a child and a young adult but Cook Children’s made me feel like I didn’t have to sit in my room and go through this journey by myself.”

Tori received chemotherapy and received medication for her treatment every other week, 3 to 5 days for the span of about a year. Halfway through her treatment, she also received radiation on her left pelvic bone for about two months.

Karen Albritton, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatric hematology-oncology doctor and medical director of the Adolescent and Young Adult Program, oversaw Tori’s cancer treatment. Artee Gandhi, M.D., medical director of Pain Management, helped Tori with any discomfort or pain she felt during her treatment.

As her time continued at Cook Children’s, Tori spent many hours in the Child Life Zone Music and Recording Studio, pursuing her passion for music. “The music studio is great, even for kids that don’t have life threatening illnesses, it’s just a good way to go in there and have fun.”

Tori recently turned 19 years old and has been in remission for two years. “My life is all about music. It has always been something that has gotten me through the good times and bad.” She continues to pursue her passion for music by performing for various charities. Tori has even gotten the incredible opportunity to meet some of her favorite artists, including Joan Jett, Miley Cyrus, Roger Daltrey, lead singer of The Who, and Garth Brooks. She hopes to one day meet Stevie Nicks.

Through her battle with cancer, Tori learned the importance of living each day to the fullest. “I encourage people to keep moving forward and live your life the way you want it, because you don’t have all the time in the world. Don’t wait to do something you want to do, make it happen.”

About #erasekidcancer

If we had one wish it would be that no child would ever have to fight cancer. That's why we're asking you to join forces with Cook Children's oncologists, researchers, patients and families to help make that wish come true. There's a lot we can do, so let's spread the word to help make childhood cancer disappear.

The funds we raise together will support life-saving research, treatments, technology and programs for the young patients and their families at Cook Children's in Fort Worth, Texas. What we do today will help #erasekidcancer for future generations.

Hello everyone. My name is Luke Lange. What a beautiful day for a walk to help erase cancer. I am very honored to be with you today and to have the opportunity to tell you my story.

I like to think of myself as a pretty normal kid. I enjoy football, basketball and golf. I like to hang out with my friends and of course obeying my parents. When I was in third grade, something happened that changed my normal years into my most challenging.

My grandparents came into town for a Veteran's Day celebration at our school. My grandmother noticed my neck was swollen on one side. She is always giving my sister and me the "grandmother inspection" so I didn't think much of it. I didn't feel sick so I didn't think anything was wrong.

After a few months of antibitiocs, blood tests, scans and even a biopsy all of which came back fine, my doctor decided to remove the swollen lymph nodes so everyone would stop worrying. In fact he said, "Let's get this done so you guys can go and enjoy spring break."

Once the lymph nodes were removed, the results showed I had Hodgkin's lymphoma or in simple terms: cancer. Spring Break was replaced with surgery to put in a port and I started my first round of chemo. My third grade year was over. My family and I were now focused on getting me healthy.

Before this, I had never stayed in the hospital overnight. Now I would check in for days with a machine hooked up to me constantly to give me medicine. Sometimes when I would like getting out of the bed, I would walk the halls of the cancer floor. As I walked the halls with my family and friends I noticed that some kids just like me and sometimes younger didn't have family with them during treatment. Sometimes those kids would only have a nurse or a child life specilaist with them during chemo. I can't imagine how they felt.

Everyone I met and dealt with at Cook Children's made dealing with cancer the best that it can be. Yes, I had to do the treatment, get sick, follow the rules and when my counts get low, I was the one that had to go into isolation, but the team here at Cook Children's was with me every step of the way. I always felt safe because my parents and so many people were there to support me.

Having cancer is scary for everyone. My family and friends and the team here at Cook Children's prayed and supported me and our family. It takes so many people to fight this disease.

My parents tell me that having cancer was a chapter in my life. It will and has changed my life forever. One good thing that came from this experience is that I designed a shirt to help me and other cancer patients not feel so sick while they are doing treatment. I was given the opportunity to partner with Mark Cuban. How cool is that? But one of the most important things I learned is that we all have to help each other. Especially, those who need our help.

Today is the kick off to Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Just by you being here, you've made a commitment to help kids like me. Thank you! In a few minutes, we will begin the walk. We are walking for the kids and their families on the floor who would love to join us, but can't. We are walking because we know that everyone can help make a difference.

You have inspired our family to give back. Our family can do many things, but we do not have the knowledge and the expertise that each of you have to help "Erase Cancer." Our position on the team is to drive awareness and help raise much needed funds so you guys can stay focused on the task at hand.

To kick off the month and this walk, we would like to donate $5,000 to help ERASE CANCER!