Graiden K Team Graiden

Graiden is 15 years old and a high school sophomore living in Colorado with his mother, stepfather, and three brothers.  He also has his dad, stepmom, and stepsister living nearby.  At the end of ninth grade, he experienced pain in his right arm that wouldn't go away - and then became excruciating over a weekend.  Initial x-rays gave a diagnosis of bone tumor in his humerus, but that was ruled out a week later with an emergency open bone biopsy due to potential of a severe infection.  

He was treated for an infection all summer and even though was not able to use of his arm much, the pain lessened.  A second surgery once school started resulted in a new diagnosis of an auto-immune disorder, and more medications.  Graiden started to regain range of motion and strength until Christmas, when the pain returned.  X-rays at the end of January showed something had drastically changed; a large portion of his humerus was now eaten away, leaving only 1/3 of the original width in a large section.  The surgery was done with intent of clearing up an infection; but post-surgery biopsy confirmed a new diagnosis: Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma - primary lymphoma of bone. 

Right now the focus is on treatment and trying to keep life as normal as possible. He is trying to attend school and youth group functions as his health allows.  Currently his chemo cycles have him treating with inpatient stays one week, then home for two weeks each cycle.  While it has been an ardous journey for him to get a true diagnosis; we are thankful it is Stage 1 lymphoma, so prospects of treatment are better than if it was discovered at a later stage.   

Graiden is a thoughtful, kind-hearted guy who enjoys Star Wars, Marvel, Lord of the Rings, metal music, 80s movies, and good times with friends and family in Colorado. We're all pulling for his full and complete recovery, and we thank you for being a part of that.