Chaise Cheatham, 7
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
While most 2-year-olds are experiencing a carefree life of cartoons
and games, Chase Cheatam was beginning the fight of his life.
It was so unexpected. Chase’s parents,
Wayne and Khouloud Cheatam, had taken him to the emergency room for
swollen lymph nodes when they learned the diagnosis — acute
lymphoblastic leukemia.
Not only did Chase’s family have to absorb
the diagnosis, but almost immediately they learned that their son
was a high-risk patient due to his cell count.
Like so many families the Cheatams bonded
fast with the physicians and nurses at Texas Children’s Hospital,
which helped them get through the first few years.
But three years later their son would
relapse, needing a bone marrow transplant. He was given a 50 percent
chance of surviving. “The bone marrow transplant was hard on him. He
was in the hospital for three months and was not himself,” said his
father, Wayne. “He wouldn’t talk or eat and lost 40 pounds.”
But today brings a different story.
Chase was released from the hospital in
May 2006 and hasn’t been back since. He put on 25 pounds in a year
and a half and is feeling better each day.
At this pace, Chase is well on his way to becoming the police
officer he has always hoped he would be.
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patient stories.
