Warrior Gabe

Gabriel was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma a week after he turned 7. It really came out of nowhere. He ended up spending 16 days in the ICU and a total of 82 days in the hospital, followed by nine more months of treatments. This was a very difficult time but it made us realize how lucky we are to have such wonderful family, friends, school and work communities around us. We could not have done this alone, and we did not have to worry about that. While I was in the hospital with Gabe, they organized meals for my husband and other two children. They made sure my kids got to school, played with their friends and visited us. We were a bit far from home and the Ronald McDonald house was amazing - it’s easy to forget to take care of yourself when you have a sick child and we often had meals there. We met wonderful doctors, nurses and therapists and still are friendly with many two years later. One pediatric resident would spend at least a half hour playing Transformers with Gabe every time he visited! Everyone at the hospital made Gabe feel special and loved, and we could tell it was genuine. It takes very special people to work with critically ill children and we are forever grateful. Our child life specialist and social worker have been amazing resources for us - whether it was finding financial assistance for bills, fun activities while inpatient and introducing us to amazing organizations that are dedicated to helping pediatric cancer patients and families. Gabe has received many wishes, toys and experiences that these kids deserve - things that let him just be a kid. These kids are warriors and heroes, every single day. - Jessica M