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JAKE MILLER Jake and Luke at Luke's summer baseball league.
New photos added in the photo album.
Jake has been battling neuroblastoma cancer since October 2001. Jake underwent five rounds of high dose chemo followed by a six hour surgery to remove his primary tumor. He then was pronounced Ned (no evidence of disease) in March of 2002. He continued with two more rounds of chemo followed by a stem cell transplant where he remained in the transplant ward at Egelston Hospital in Atlanta, GA at Emory University for 32 days. Jake remained Ned for almost 15 months he then relapsed. He began low dose chemo at Scottish Rite in Atlanta, GA. Our Doctor in Atlanta recommended we go to Sloan Kettering in NYC. We went to NYC where they began him on high dose chemo to prepare his body for 3F8 antibodies treatment. We began in July of 2004, he was able to receive 5 complete rounds of 3F8 before he developed a resistance to the drug in the middle of his 6th round. He was pronounced Ned again after the first round of antibodies. Jake developed the HAMA in December of 2004. Jake had three month scans in March of 2005 where we learned the cancer had returned. Jake began low dose chemo after three rounds we rescanned and learned that the neuroblastoma had intensified. Jake then began one of the harshest rounds of chemo referred to as ICE. Our Doctor in NYC told us that he would only be able to tolerate one round. Remarkably Jake's body was able to withstand three rounds and the cancer was completely gone except for two small spots in one knee and one spot in the other knee. In the fall of 2005 Jake began low dose chemo again along with radiation in each leg in NYC. We spent 6 weeks in the Fall of 2005 in NYC, but it was worth it Jake was pronounced NED again in Jan of 2006. Jake continued four more rounds of lowdose chemo in Atlanta. In April of 2006 we began Accutane a drug taken by mouth. Jake has had a wonderful summer free of cancer and the pain of chemo treatments. Unfortunately at our latest scans in NYC in Sept 2006 Jake's cancer has returned yet again. They have discovered two spots one in each hip. Jake's battle has intensified yet again.
Please sign the guest book like all kids Jake loves to get mail (so does his parents).
I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Romans 15:30
Here are some things to know about pediatric cancer and in particular neuroblastoma:
SOME FACTS ABOUT PEDIATRIC CANCER AND NEUROBLASTOMA:
Childhood cancer is the number one disease killer in children.
Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer in infancy.
Neuroblastoma is the most common extra cranial solid tumor cancer in children.
Every 16 hours a child with neuroblastoma dies.
There is no known cure for neuroblastoma.
Nearly 70% of those children first diagnosed with neuroblastoma, have disease that has already metastasized or spread to other parts of the body. When disease has spread at diagnosis and a child is over the age of 2 there is less than a 30% chance of survival.
Childhood cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in the US and it kills more children per year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined.
There are 15 children diagnosed with cancer for every one child diagnosed with pediatric AIDS. Yet, the U.S. invests approximately $595,000 for research per victim of pediatric AIDS and only $20,000 for each victim of childhood cancer.
A fund has been estalished to help the family with the many medical and travel expenses that occur during Jake's battle. All donations can be sent to: THE JAKE MILLER FUND Covenant Bank & Trust PO Box 570 Rock Springs, GA 30739
Journal
Friday, August 24, 2012 7:46 PM CDT Luke has started college at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville MS. He was offered a baseball scholarship and decided it wasn't to far away and something he wanted to do. The weekend we were moving him in Kala called to give us the news she was engaged. They have set the date for Sept. 14, 2013, but we are already in planning mode. We have sold our bookstore and are pretty sure we are headed back to north Georgia. Lee and I are now empty-nesters. Not a minute goes by that we don't miss our sweet Jake, like I have said before all of these changes are so bittersweet. It breaks my heart that Jake and Andy (Kala's fiancé) never got to meet. They would have loved each other.
Thank you for your continued prayers, Kim
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Hospital Information: Ronald McDonald House/Jake Miller Rm 511 405 E 73rd St New York , New York 10021
Links: http://www.loneliestroad.org neuroblastoma fundraiser http://www.bandofparents.org neuroblastoma fundraising page
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