One Year Down for Mattis

In March, Mattis celebrated the end of a very challenging year. After being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in February 2018, he lost his ability to use his legs. A few days later, doctors discovered a leukemic tumor in his spinal column. This was surprising, since tumors are extremely rare in ALL patients. Over the next few weeks, Mattis spent many days in the hospital yet progressed from paraplegia to near complete paralysis.

He was then admitted to a rehabilitation hospital where he began to re-learn basic motor skills, like raising his head and sitting. After several months of intensive outpatient therapy, he re-learned all of the skills he had before his diagnosis. Looking at him today, you would never guess that less than a year ago Mattis was so sick he couldn’t move at all.

Recovering so well after one year is definitely something to celebrate, but four-year-old Mattis’ fight is not over. He has to complete many more months of chemotherapy before he will hopefully be rid of ALL for good.

To hear about Mattis’ second year of chemotherapy and his future milestones, you can follow his mother, Sara’s facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/sarakvera or her blog at https://homeschoolingourleukemiawarrior.com. Mattis’ family, including his two older sisters, are his biggest supporters. They frequently participate in fundraisers for pediatric cancer and are always there for him.  

Thanks to Sugar Angel Megan Mkrtschjan for baking this cake!  https://www.facebook.com/icingsonthecake/

With Smiles,

Molly Sargen

Icing Smiles Blog Writer