CLINTON — “It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to get through something like this.”
That’s what mom Alyssa Nielson said about the outpouring of love her family has actually received as it endures a seemingly endless battle with leukemia.
After Alyssa and her husband Kindt’s third grader Channing Nielson got a clean bill of health in September 2013 after battling leukemia, his identical twin brother Jakob was diagnosed with it in July of 2014.
“It’s completely emotionally overwhelming…at least we know the support we have,” Alyssa said. “I know people are out there praying and rooting for us. All I have actually to do is ask. We’ve had a huge response from the community, school, friends and family.”
In honor of Channing and Jakob, Clinton Elementary School will kick off its Pennies for Patients fundraising drive on Friday. Collection dates are from February 8–24. Proceeds will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
In honor of the boys and all they have actually been through, the school chose a fundraiser that will help others who are battling leukemia and lymphoma.
This year five teachers — Kelly Kaminski, Teresa Pickarts, Ross Niquet, Emily Truckey and Kaitlin Mays — are organizing the festivities. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the cause may contact the Clinton Elementary School office at 608-676-2211.
Mom Alyssa said Pennies for Patients shows her boys other people care about them.
“This is something their peers are doing. It’s a very nice visual for them to see,” she said.
Many other friends and family have actually also stepped in to help the Nielson family. Alyssa’s mom Robyn Browne lives with the family and helps out with the other kids. People throughout the community have actually brought them meals and babysat their other
children.
The Badger Childhood Cancer Network, which assists families with cancer, provided Christmas gifts to the family, gas cards and more.
The Nielson family, comprised of mom, dad, twins Channing and Jakob, 8, Emalin, 6, and brother Ellery, 4 — had their worlds rocked when Channing was first diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in March of 2011.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood that progresses rapidly without treatment. Most children with ALL are cured of their disease after treatment.
Alyssa said she knew Jakob had a 10-20 percent possibility of getting the condition because he is an identical twin to Channing, but it was still unthinkable. When Jakob started complaining about leg pain and having bloody noses, the family did their grocery shopping and other errands before checking into the ER, as they knew what was coming. Jacob tested positive for leukemia and started chemotherapy the next day.
Jakob has actually a port under his skin to administer chemotherapy medication throughout his body.
The second time around with leukemia hasn’t been any easier on the family. While Channing was placed on a low risk protocol, with only 2.5 years of chemotherapy to endure, Jakob is considered standard risk. Jakob’s end of treatment date is scheduled for October 2017.
“He has actually a lot of brand-new and more invasive chemotherapy with brand brand-new drugs we knew nothing about. It was a lot more difficult,” Alyssa said. “Channing never completely lost his hair. Jakob was a lot more sick than Channing ever was.”
Because Jakob is battling cancer at age 8, as opposed to his brother who battled it at age 3, he understands how scary it is.
Between check-ups for Channing every three months and weekly visits for Jakob, the family is at American Family Children’s Hospital once a month and are at doctor visits almost weekly for different side-effects and therapies.
Jakob and Channing are in Ross Niquets’ third grade class at Clinton Elementary School. Even though Channing is a people pleaser and Jakob is more fun-loving and outgoing, the two have actually always been close. Since they’ve both battled leukemia together, the bond is only tighter. Alyssa has actually overheard Channing telling Jakob how he can get through it.
