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4-year-old’s cancer takes emotional and financial toll on family

Pabio December 2, 2024

There are times when Elijah Myers is like his three brothers, another rambunctious child joining in with the kind of physical play you might expect from a 4-year-old boy.

If you overlook his hairless head from numerous rounds of harsh chemotherapies, young “Eli,” as he is affectionately called by his parents and siblings, can sometimes seem like a typical kid who loves to play chase and anything. when it comes to racing cars.

But since last year, the West Palm Beach This boy is battling a persistent form of neuroblastoma, an extremely rare form of cancer found in young children. And it put him and his family on a roller coaster of hope, crushing disappointment, and determination to do what it takes to carry on and survive.

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“He’s a strong kid and I try,” says Elijah’s 30-year-old mother Danielle.

She and her husband, Justin, juggle parenting their sick child in a rental apartment with their three other children, Noah, 6; Matthew, 5 years old; and Luca, 2 years old.

“I try to make chaos fun,” the mother said. “I used to cry a lot in front of Eli, but I had to stop because he would ask me, ‘Why is mom crying?’ »

The boy’s parents started thinking something was wrong with Elijah last year when he suddenly lost his energy and started vomiting.

The diagnosis was a worst-case scenario come true. This led to several rounds of chemotherapy, stem cell harvesting, surgical removal of tumors and adrenal glands, 12 rounds of radiation therapy and five rounds of immunotherapy.

And then, just as they thought their son was finally cancer-free earlier this year and they were ready to ring the bell as they walked out of Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami one last time – the symbolic gesture of winning the battle – cancer returned with a new mass where it began.

“I thought we were on track to get back to normal,” the mother said. “We do not expect a relapse at the end of treatment.”

Justin, the father, had to work part-time in his position as an emergency medical technician to manage the demands of his time at home and his multiple trips to Miami each week for treatment. And Elijah’s brothers had to face a life relegated to a secondary orbit.

“It’s hard for them to understand how sick someone who is immunocompromised can get,” Danielle said. “So we can no longer take the children to the park like before.

“Our 6-year-old is the only one in his class to wear a mask at school and he keeps wondering why he has to do that. The 5 year old doesn’t understand how sick his brother is, so he makes fun of Eli all the time for getting all the attention he gets.

“And the 2-year-old cries for Eli as he has to spend another night in the hospital.”

The family received help from the Cancer Alliance of Help and Hope, a Palm Beach County-based nonprofit group dedicated to helping qualified local cancer patients with their non-medical bills and other needs .

Doug Duke, the charity’s director of program services, says Elijah’s young parents are shouldering their enormous burden with grace.

“They’re very nice people and they don’t feel entitled to anything,” Duke said. “And they did a wonderful job trying to normalize the experience for Elijah and his brothers.”

As their child’s medical saga continues, their financial demands of paying $2,200 monthly rent, meeting ever-increasing medical bills from Medicaid insurance, and keeping a family of six fed, clothed and financially afloat continue.

“All the money we had just lost,” the mother said.

One day, she hopes, her son’s cancer will do the same.

But for now, he’s just taking a break from the heavy chemotherapy he’s been undergoing to give his body a chance to recover from the collateral damage that’s been caused.

“I feel like we’re at the beginning again,” the mother said.

Elijah Myers’ Wish

Elijah Myers, a 4-year-old West Palm Beach boy battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer, has been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for more than a year. His young parents, who are also raising Elijah’s three healthy brothers, ages 6 to 2, have been overwhelmed with medical and related expenses as they try to maintain some normalcy in their family life. Elijah’s new treatment is complicated by the fact that he must have blood tests, sometimes every other day, and blood transfusions up to five times a week. This involves very frequent trips to the Miami hospital and hospitalizations for which it is not always possible to prepare. As his parents juggle and balance stress, anxiety, and the needs of their children, financial assistance for the absolute necessities allows Elijah’s parents to stay focused on loving care, treatment, and emotions. The family needs plenty of help with rent, utilities, car insurance, phone service, internet access and food.

Nominating agency: Cancer Help and Hope Alliance, Palm Beach

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