By Lauren Wanko
Correspondent
The night sky is illuminated with light from giant presents and ornaments. For mom Sherrie Wells this colorful show isn’t a reminder of the holidays, it’s a reminder of her baby boy, Brady. He left this world at just 23 months old after fighting cancer.
She said, “It is the hardest thing in the world. Michael and I had several conversations with the doctors saying is there anything that we can do? Is there anything as a parent, even if it means killing us in the process, so that we could save our baby and so that he wouldn’t have to be put through this torture and agony anymore. Unfortunately, the answer was no.”
In 2009, at just 13 months old, Brady was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. His little body took on six rounds of chemo, a stem cell transplant, numerous surgeries and more.
“It is really tough. They don’t get to be kids anymore. They grow up instantly,” said Wells.
Throughout the treatments, his parents were getting flooded with donations from strangers. Wells launched the Hugs for Brady Foundation three weeks into his diagnosis to help other families and raise awareness about childhood cancer.
“We will not stop until there’s a cure because it is just so unfair to see these children suffer,” Wells said.
The American Cancer Society indicates nationwide about 10,380 children under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer this year. The New Jersey Department of Health says there are approximately 465 newly diagnosed cases resulting in about 52 deaths annually.
Chief Doctor Richard Drachtman of the Rutgers Cancer Insitute of New Jersey Peadiatric Hematology/ Oncology Program explained, “When kids get cancer, it tends to be completely different diseases then adults get. There are some diseases that are similar — like leukemia — but still they are very different to treat in children than in adults.”
Why is that?
“Part of it is they are just different on a molecular basis,” Drachtman said. “The other part is kids can tolerate a lot of therapies that older adults have trouble tolerating.”
Drachtman treated Brady. He says he had an extremely unusual type of leukemia. For many childhood cancers survival rates have increased significantly because of clinical trials followed by medical advances.
He said, “That’s not good enough for me because it’s not 100 percent.”
Sherrie says so far Hugs for Brady has raised $1.65 million. The money has been used for everything from hospital upgrades, to research, to helping families with high medical costs. This is their first holiday light show, the proceeds will be donated to help children battle cancer.
Apart from this light show — which is on DeVry University’s campus until Dec. 30 — the Hugs for Brady Foundation hosts fundraisers throughout the year. Wells wants Brady Buggy Wagons in hospitals nationwide. It attaches to IV poles and is used while kids are getting treatments.
“Then the children can sit in the wagon, forget they have any illness, any cancer, and just be a kid again,” Wells said.
Having spent so much time with other kids fighting the disease, she is amazed by their power and strength.
“I found each and every child would comfort the parents. Brady at 1 years old would look at me and if tears started welling up in my eyes he’d touch my cheek and say, ‘Mama, it’s ok. I’m ok,'” she explained.
Now this mom will keep fighting in the hopes that every child who says they’re ok, will be.