Diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in June, 2012.

 

He has a 22% chance of relapse over the next 3 years.

 

He only has 5 months of treatment left, but years of rehabilitation ahead.

 

Danny van Schaik woke up on June 27th, 2012 with a strong pain in his lower right abdomen...strong enough that he was taken straight to the ER. At first, we thought it was appendicitis (not the case). Blood tests showed elevated white cell counts and low platelets; subsequent tests had his primary physician talking to pediatric oncologists in Columbia Presbyterian in NYC. Less than 12 hours after he said his side hurt, we were checking into the Columbia Children's hospital.

 

The diagnosis was Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and - because of his age and various other factors - the treatment has been a brutally intense combination of chemotheraphy and direct-brain radiation. Over the past 21 months, Danny has been hospitalized 10 times, almost died 4 times, experienced blood clots in his heart and lungs, undergone four major surgeries to (successfully) save his leg after an infection, and has developed sever osteonecrosis in both knees. He only has 5 months of treatment left, but we have years of rehabilitation ahead of us. All things said and done, he has a 22% chance of relapse over the next 3 years.