CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Family, friends and strangers turned out Sunday to Triple Crossing in Midlothian in hopes that they could be a potential bone marrow donor for a 7-year-old boy with a rare form of leukemia.
Cayden Addison was just three years old when he was first told that he had leukemia in April 2020, according to his mother, Courtney Addison.
"It all started with him experiencing leg pain, we kind of just brushed it off thinking that it was growing pains," Addison recalled. "But unfortunately that leg pain progressed to a lack of appetite. He even came to the point where he had a stiff neck and was unable to turn his head back and forth."
Two after years of chemotherapy, treatments and hospital stays were completed in April 2022, exactly two years after he was first diagnosed with leukemia. But then in February 2023, Cayden relapsed.
The second diagnosis resulted in more chemotherapy and even a new treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, where Cayden twice spent 37 days at Duke's Children's Hospital in North Carolina.
"It wasn't successful at keeping him into complete remission. And so that's kind of where we are today," Addison said.
Addison and her family are hoping someone who came to Triple Crossing to get tested will be a match and can be a bone marrow donor for Cayden. That donation will hopefully prevent the production of leukemia cells.
“We're here today for to get bone marrow donations and get people registered to be on the national registry," Addison explained.
Anyone aged 18 to 40 was able to have their cheek swabbed to see if they could be a match.
"The process to get tested is very simple," Addison said. "You'll fill out a quick online form, it takes less than two minutes. And then it's just a simple cheek swab."
Aleen Perkins said he heard about the event from a friend.
“It only took a few minutes to just come get your cheek swab,” Perkins said. “Why not? I have two boys and if I was in need, I would want somebody to help me too."
Addison said it would "mean the world " to the family if they found a match.
"He's only seven," Addison said. "He has his whole life ahead of him. And I just want him to be able to go on with his childhood and grow up and have a normal life"
For those who could not to attend, Addison said you can text Cayden CFC to 61474 to have a testing kit mailed to your home.
"The National Marrow Donor Program covers the cost of [a bone marrow donation]," Addison said. "So you never have to worry about any costs being associated with you."
While the Addison family's main goal from the event was to find a match for Cayden, it will also serve other purposes as well.
"Even if we can't find a match for Cayden, then for somebody else. This is something that no parent should have to go through," Addison said. "But if I can help another parent to find a match or donation, that would be great as well."
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