At 3 years old, Christian was like any other boy his age. He loved to play and laugh with his family. Suddenly, Christian began to lose his appetite and had fevers almost every day. After several exams, an ultrasound revealed devastating news: Christian had a mass in his kidney. He was found to be suffering from neuroblastoma, one of the most aggressive types of childhood cancers.
“You know that cancer exists, and that we are all at risk; but you never imagine that it will touch your life,” said his mother.
Christian underwent a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy in his native Puerto Rico. Sadly, after two years of scans indicating no evidence of disease, his cancer returned.
This time, the cancer had spread to the bones in his hips and legs, causing him a great deal of pain. In search of a possible cure for Christian, one of his doctors contacted St. Jude.
In March 2010, Christian arrived at St. Jude, where doctors were studying novel treatments for neuroblastoma. Christian was enrolled on two protocols (treatment plans). The first used a new chemotherapy drug to relieve his tumor burden. Christian responded well to the drug and proceeded to an immunotherapy protocol.
Immunotherapy is designed to produce immunity to a disease or to enhance resistance by the immune system. The basis of Christian’s treatment is a neuroblastoma antibody that is manufactured at the St. Jude Children’s GMP, LLC facility. St. Jude is the only pediatric research center with an on-site Good Manufacturing Practices facility to research and then produce highly specialized medicines and vaccines that pharmaceutical companies do not produce.
Currently, Christian is at St. Jude fighting for his life.
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Here is my last post for this Year & I wish everyone, all around the World, a Happy New Year 2011... Hope this New Year will fulfish most of your wishes...x
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