We Knew Something Was Very Wrong.

When our 4-year-old started using a different hand to eat dinner we knew something was very wrong.

In January 2019, our son Thomas (then 4 years old) began complaining of headaches and needed more help with balancing activities. When he started using a different hand to eat dinner we knew something was very wrong. After thoughtful assessment of his situation, the wonderful team at Gunnison Valley Hospital had Thomas transferred via ambulance to Children\’s Hospital Colorado, where a large mass was discovered in his brain. Following a successful 6-hour surgery, we soon learned his diagnosis — Medulloblastoma — an aggressive grade-four brain cancer. Scientific advances have yielded good curative treatment options for his sub-type of Medulloblastoma, but those treatments proved long and difficult for such a young child. During 16 months of intensive treatment our family was often split between Gunnison, Houston, and Denver, and we learned quickly that we could not do this on our own.

Living Journeys has provided us with resources in the form of fresh produce boxes and meals, financial assistance, and counseling support. I needed to leave my job to care for Thomas full-time during his treatment. With Thomas (now 6 years old) having finished active treatment I am increasingly able to process this life-altering event. Living Journeys understands this is still a sensitive time for our family as we wrestle with a new normal and celebrate our courageous cancer survivor. He is here. He is amazing. And Living Journeys’ contributed to the thankfulness and joy that we feel, even in these challenging times.

— Katie Renga, Gunnison County resident & Mom Extraordinaire