Family Sponsorship – 7

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Thank you so much! I still can not believe we are on the receiving end of such a wonderful opportunity. I am so grateful for what your foundation does for families like us.

I have such a hard time writing up our journey, it has been far from a short one. Here’s what I came up with.

Thanks,
Lisa Karns

Kohen is a nine-year-old boy currently fighting cancer for the second time in his life. Kohen was originally diagnosed in March 2018 with an aggressive form of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. The best odds of survival were to get Kohen into remission and undergo a bone marrow transplant. He was hospitalized for three rounds of chemotherapy and was able to have a bone marrow transplant on July 31, 2018. Kohen’s recovery was far from textbook, after experiencing numerous complications he was finally discharged from the hospital three months later.

The next two years were uneventful. Kohen recovered and rehabbed back to the active, fun-loving child he was before cancer. Kohen had suffered no residual effects from treatment. He enjoyed being with friends, playing sports, spending time with his brother and cousins on Big Star Lake, and camping with friends.

On July 26, 2020, Kohen returned to the Heme/Onc Clinic for his two-year post transplant workup and bone marrow aspiration. The next day, while at work as a Nurse, Lisa received the gut-wrenching call that Kohen’s cancer was back.

In August, Kohen was again admitted to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital to begin chemotherapy. Kohen’s treatment this time around has been far from perfect. After two rounds of chemotherapy, there is still leukemia present. He has also experienced severe side effects to his heart, liver and lungs requiring a stay in the PICU on a ventilator.

Hospitalization this time has been even more difficult with COVID restrictions in place. Kohen’s parents, Lisa and Eric, are the only visitors allowed for Kohen. The isolation from his seven-year-old brother, Ford, is taking an emotional toll on both boys.

The hope is that Kohen’s current treatment will rid his body of remaining leukemia so he can have a successful second bone marrow transplant. Kohen’s immune system is severely weakened, requiring him to be hospitalized until he receives and recovers from his bone marrow transplant.