Evan Vickers was born in March of 2017 to parents Kraig and Brittany Vickers of Leary, GA.
Diagnosed in utero with several heart defects, Evan had open heart surgery when he was less than one week old to repair his failing heart. The surgery was a success, but the complications forced more procedures throughout his first year of life. To get Evan the best care possible, he and his family frequently traveled to Atlanta to a team of specialist compiled specifically for his diagnosis. As of today, they’ve made the four-hour trip roughly 100 times since Evan was born.
In September of 2018, doctors found a mass in Evan’s abdomen while monitoring a kidney condition he’d had since birth. He was subsequently diagnosed with stage I neuroblastoma and underwent immediate surgery to remove the tumor. Surgery quickly put him into remission, but he relapsed less than 12 weeks later.
This time, Evan was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma cancer. The new tumor was occupying 60 percent of his abdomen and the sense of urgency was obvious. Evan struggled through six months of chemotherapy, two bone marrow transplants, 20 rounds of radiation and six cycles of immunotherapy. The treatments were hard on Evan and he was airlifted to Atlanta seven times over the duration.
After 18 months of treatment, Evan is once again in remission. The side effects of the treatment that saved his life are countless and left him with a severe hearing loss and serious damage from the radiation. Evan and his family still travel to Atlanta frequently for his care.
“The world knew he was born to be a fighter, we just had no idea the extent,” his parents shared. “Now, at four years old, Evan has shown more strength and bravery than grown men. Should the need arise, we should all strive to FIGHT LIKE EVAN.”
Every child who has been diagnosed with childhood cancer inspires us to Rally On to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects and, ultimately, cures. Please join us in the fight against childhood cancer by making a donation or setting up your own Rally fundraiser today.
