Together for Micah

Micah and his family walked through the doors of St. Jude for the first time in 2015. They found hope and so much more in Micah's battle against bone cancer. Now, through the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer, they're giving back to the community that gave them hope.

Micah spent most of his first St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer in a wheelchair. That was 2015, and the 50 yards he was able to walk on his crutches were triumphant — he’d had surgery to remove the cancer in his leg and insert a titanium rod just three months prior. Micah’s surgeon was amazed by the photos the family sent.

“The St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer has been kind of a marker for Micah’s progress through and after treatment,” said his dad, Jason. That first year, Micah’s team was small but dear — his parents, two sisters and brother celebrated that initial success. 

It was late 2014 when his family learned Micah had Ewing sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. They were in the United States, visiting from their home in China, when the diagnosis came. Micah had been sore, but he’s “all boy,” Jason said, and no one had any clue he was seriously ill.

Micah was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where he received chemotherapy and surgery — the titanium rod inserted in his leg is adjustable, so it will be expanded as he grows. St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate for childhood cancer from less than 20% when we first opened our doors to 80% today. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.

 

Team "Fight for Micah" at the 2017 St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer.

In 2016, Micah’s family participated in the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer. And for that event, team “Fight for Micah” included some new friends from Micah’s older brother’s football team. “The walk is a fun and healthy thing to do to participate in your community," said Jason. “Our St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer team helps people to be invested in what’s going on with Micah. We know they’re really behind us and that we have this much larger network.”

Micah was able to walk half of the three miles on his own in last year's event. For the second half, he rode on his dad’s shoulders.

The 2017 St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer was another leap forward — Micah was able to walk the entire distance on his own. And the family worked with friends and their church, boosting the "Fight for Micah" team to 30 members, who helped raise funds and awareness for St. Jude’s lifesaving mission.

“St. Jude has invested a lot in me, I can do these things to give back to St. Jude,” Micah said.

 

Micah and his siblings at their first St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer in 2015.

Micah and his siblings at their first St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer in 2015.
 
 

Micah (second from left) at the 2017 St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer, with friends and family. 

I tell Micah, ‘As much as cancer has an impact on your life, your life is getting back to normal as much as it can and that progress is encouraging. We’ll continue to reminisce about it and how far you’ve come.'
Jason, Micah's dad

“The great thing is that all of this isn't for ourselves, and it's not just raising money for a worthy cause,” Jason added. “It is literally an opportunity to offer hope to the kids and families that are walking in the doors of St. Jude for the first time today.”

“We walked through those doors for the first time in 2015, and we found hope because so many people had given to St. Jude. Now we are excited to join the community in bringing hope to others."

Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.

When you donate monthly, your gift means families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.

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