Bailey is a fiercely strong warrior who, at just five years old, was considered a 4-time survivor of Neuroblastoma.  Now, at 25 years old, he is graduating from Colorado State University!  His story is nothing short of miraculous!  His mom shared his journey with us below:

Tell us about your warrior and their journey

My son, Bailey, was diagnosed at 9 months of age on December 29, 1999, with Stage IV Neuroblastoma, n-myc non-amplied, favorable histology. We were told not to expect him to live through the night because of the extent of his disease and if he somehow survived the night, that he would be paralyzed from the primary tumor compressing his spine and he certainly would never see his first birthday. At diagnosis he had a tumor on his left skull, a tumor behind his right eye, the primary tumor in his chest wrapped around his aorta and compressing his spine, hundreds of tumors in his liver (his liver was so large the original biopsy scar is on the left side of his abdomen), a tumor on his left shin and full bone marrow involvement. He survived that first night at UCSF and was treated at that time as intermediate risk because of his age with 8 rounds of chemo, surgery and inter-operative radiation. He was No Evidence of Disease (NED) for 7 months and relapsed. He was then treated as high risk and did another 6 rounds of chemo, bone marrow transplant and stem cell transplant, external beam radiation, followed by 6 months of Accutane. He was NED before his bmt and sct, then 10 months after completing Accutane had another surgery to remove what was determined through pathology to be a ganglioneuroma on his left lung. He then was NED for 10 more months, when a new tumor showed up behind his liver. We were told by surgeons at both UCSF (Dr. Farmer) and MSKCC (Dr. LaQuaglia) that it was inoperable and the best they could do was try to biopsy to see what it was. Our amazing surgeon at UCSF (Dr. Farmer) ended up being able to remove the ENTIRE mass on 1.16.04 and Bailey started 2 years of Accutane. The mass was 98% ganglioneuroma and 2% neuroblastoma. He completed the 2-year course of Accutane in February of 2006. So, at the age of 5, he was considered a 4-time survivor of Neuroblastoma! On February 11, 2009, Bailey had his LAST MIBG Scan – 5 years after his last surgery and 3 years since finishing treatment! He is now 18 years since his last treatment, 25 years old, and will graduate on May 11, 2024 from Colorado State University with a Bachelors Degree in Human Development and Family Sciences. He has worked closely with Coach Matt Mumme for both the Nevada football team, and now the Colorado State football team as an assistant for the past 8 years and hopes to continue working in the sports field after graduation.

How has NNCCF impacted your family’s journey?

NNCCF (KRM and Angel’s Kiss) have been a part of our family’s journey for almost all of Bailey’s years of treatment and post-treatment long term affects. We could not have made it through this journey without the never-ending support of such an amazing organization.

NNCCF will always hold a very special place in all of our hearts! Their amazing support of our local community is like no other! Northern Nevada is very fortunate to have such an amazing organization to support local families through their worst times. Then, they continue to be there as these warriors beat their battles with financial support to help them succeed in college! Not only were they there for us during the worst of times, they’ve continued to be there for Bailey throughout his college career with continued financial support via scholarship.

Victoria was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 15 years old. Throughout her cancer journey, Victoria’s motivation and commitment to her education did not waver. Last December, Victoria graduated from the University of Nevada with a Bachelor of Science dual degree in Human Development & Family Science and Biology with a minor in Developmental Disabilities. Her dedication to working with individuals with disabilities stems from her own long-term side effects from treatment. Victoria remarked that her scholarship helped her succeed both in education and in life, stating “As a kid with cancer, I never would have imagined I would be living in my own apartment with two degrees. NNCCF helped with my tuition throughout my educational journey and gave me the confidence to pursue my many educational goals”.

Loukas loves Star Wars, coloring, drawing, playing outside with his brothers, having Nerf wars, and karate. In 2019 he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma at the age of four. Upon diagnosis, he was no longer able to attend preschool, instead, he and his family were forced to face this difficult diagnosis and treatment. Luckily, he has incredibly loving and supportive parents as well as two older brothers who are helping him every step of the way. After surgery and a difficult treatment regime, this little padawan was cancer-free for almost two and a half years then sadly relapsed in mid 2023. Now at eight years old, he continues to battle cancer courageously. But Loukas is a true fighter, and the force is strong with this one!

Corrine is a beautiful and brave warrior who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the start of her freshman year of college.  While it may have turned her world upside down, Corrine is as strong as they come and is battling her diagnosis with grace and ferocity. Learn about Corrine’s journey in her own words:

Tell us about your journey:

My journey was very difficult because I had just moved into my dorm at the University of Arizona. Far away from my family and on my own. Once I realized I was really sick and needed to get checked out, it all started. I was sent to the emergency room and stayed there for a week with the company of my mom. This is where I found out my diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I was devastated and heartbroken. I then had one day to clean out my dorm and headed to renown the next day. I found out it was stage three and I would have to go through 6 months of chemotherapy, 12 rounds total. I thought chemo would be the hardest part of my journey, but the hardest part was losing my long hair and seeing everyone be able to live their lives in college while mine was put on hold. I had to learn to be able to focus on getting better and not focus on other people’s lives. These last four rounds of chemo I’ve had were some of the toughest. Taking an emotional toll on my body. But I’m so thankful to be feeling better and praying that my latest scan is clear.

How has NNCCF impacted your family’s journey?

NNCCF has impacted my family’s journey by allowing my mom to feel like there is a shoulder she can always lean on for help. They have helped my mom immensely by helping her anytime she is struggling emotionally or financially. What they have done for me is something I will never be able to thank them enough for. My two beautiful wigs. Hair has always been a big part of me, and I would’ve never imagined losing it. But sadly, I did, and it was one of the biggest challenges I’ll ever have to go through. Thanks to NNCCF they noticed how much I was struggling feeling uncomfortable being bald and they made an appointment for me to get my wigs. It was one of the best days of my life and an awesome experience. I got to try on different sizes, some with bangs, some without, and many different colors. They made me feel beautiful and confident again, and I can’t thank them enough. NNCCF is now my family and will forever be my family.