Austin Bravely Pushes Through Challenging Treatment for Leukemia
At Children’s, Austin has the advanced care he needs to take on illness and get back to treehouses and T-ball.
There’s only one person who can get Austin smiling on his toughest days: his little sister, Oakley. These two are a team. They share something that someday may save Austin’s life. Four-year-old Austin has B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). He also has a condition called adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare genetic condition affecting the nervous system and adrenal glands, which doctors have been monitoring since he was an infant.
After learning to navigate the challenges of ALD, Austin and his family came to Children’s to help them find answers that would explain Austin’s repeat illnesses and infections. That’s when they discovered that Austin has B-ALL. He was diagnosed at age 2, and began chemotherapy immediately.
At the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Austin has access to a team of providers with specialized expertise in treating all kinds of childhood cancers, as well as the most advanced treatments available. “The treatment for B-ALL is long and complicated,” says Austin’s oncologist, John Bergsagel, MD, aka “Dr. B.” “A lot of the treatment can be given as an outpatient, but several hospitalizations are required for chemotherapy and immunotherapy. There are a total of 11 different medications that are part of the routine therapy for children with B-ALL.”
“The treatment journey has been tough,” says Austin’s mom, Chelsea. “But he keeps pushing forward when times are tough and has never given up. He has never refused a medication, has never fought any nurses or doctors on treatment, and handles his treatment better than most adults could ever handle it.”
It’s this courage and positivity that make Austin a Miracle Kid. He is now in remission. He’s running and jumping again. He’s playing T-ball, and is enjoying his giant treehouse and hanging out at his local fire station. His maintenance treatments will continue until May, but “he is responding really well and the outcome looks really good for him,” says Chad, Austin’s dad.
Under close watch of Dr. B and the rest of his Children’s care team, Austin is expected to finish treatment in May 2025. But, should the cancer return or if his ALD progresses, Austin has options. A bone marrow transplant (BMT) has been shown effective in treating both conditions. And Austin has a perfect genetic match if he ever needs one: his sister, Oakley. “[Austin] protects her,” says Chelsea. “It's like he knows that she's special and was made for him.”
