Gabe’s Story
A six-year-old PPID Survivor and his family’s journey through cancer treatment.
Meet Gabe.
Six-year-old Gabe and his family — mom, dad, and two brothers — live in Omaha, Nebraska. In December of 2020, Gabe’s parents noticed one of Gabe’s eyes had drifted slightly inward. Initially, his parents, John and Shannon, thought Gabe was being goofy and learning to cross his eyes, but they soon realized that wasn’t the case and scheduled an appointment in early January 2021. The doctor suspected excessive pressure and scheduled an immediate MRI which revealed a mass in Gabe’s head.
The family was in shock and their world was turned upside down.
Two days later, Gabe was flown to St. Jude’s in Memphis and diagnosed with a brain tumor, PPTID, and began the fight of his life. After two months of chemo, proton radiation treatment, and a short break, Gabe returned to the hospital recently to undergo another four rounds of chemo expected to last four months.
As you can imagine, cancer has put a significant strain on Gabe and his family. Everyday practical problems — the problems that simply don’t deserve to exist — quickly began surfacing during the early months after Gabe’s diagnosis.
Guided by our mission question — Which everyday cancer problem will we fix today? — Livestrong stepped in to help, identifying solutions that would fill gaps in the care Gabe was receiving.
With the generous support of our cancer-fighting community, we were able to help Gabe and many others fight the isolation that cancer treatment brings. Through Livestrong-funded programs like Monkey in My Chair and Hopecam, Gabe was able to stay connected virtually to his friends and teachers in school, taking them on tours of the hospital and participating in the Pledge of Allegiance with his class. Thanks to Livestrong’s supporters, Gabe received a life-sized plush monkey “Big Gabe,” which takes his place in school while he is away receiving treatment.
“Livestrong is an amazing resource for information and support for people diagnosed with cancer, as well as their caregivers. The organization helps assure people they are not alone and there is hope.”
- John, Gabe's (& Big Gabe's) dad
We Help Kids Live Strong By Solving Every Day Cancer Problems.
Each year, there are an estimated 15,780 children just like Gabe diagnosed with cancer in the United States. With every new diagnosis, more everyday problems arise for kids and families battling cancer. Livestrong’s mission to address and solve gaps within the pediatric cancer space continues thanks to the generous support of our donors.
Donate to Livestrong today and join us in helping kids Live Strong during cancer treatment and beyond.
