What’s it like to be battling childhood cancer during a global pandemic? For Rally Kid Lex, who is undergoing treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), COVID-19 has presented a new set of challenges that no one was expecting.

Cancer treatment was already hard enough—now Lex, along with countless other immunocompromised kids, has to take extra precautions to avoid getting sick. Why? Cancer treatment suppresses the body’s immune system, making kids like Lex more vulnerable to catching illnesses and making it more difficult for them to recover as well.

These extra precautions haven’t been easy on Lex or his family. “When Lex was first diagnosed, we had the support of the community,” shared Lex’s mom, Ashley. “They would bring us meals and visit Lex, but when COVID hit, all of that stopped because we just didn’t know what was safe and what wasn’t.”

Lex and his mom, Ashley

The concept of social distancing and self-isolation was particularly tough on Lex. He loved having visitors stop by their house several times a week, and it was hard to not have that connection to the outside world anymore. Luckily, Ashley stepped in to set up regular Zoom calls with friends and they spent extra time together as a family. In fact, the family admits that this journey has brought them closer together.

Ashley and dad David, along with sisters Libby and Kate, are stronger than ever and rely on one another for support.  “It has helped us focus on what’s important and not important,” mom Ashley shared, “and it’s made us a lot braver and stronger than we were before.”

“Everyone loves Lex,” added sisters Kate and Libby. “He’s so fun to be around. We’ve gotten a lot closer, especially during quarantine, because we do so many things together.”

Lex with his big sisters, Kate and Libby

This family connection has also made it possible for Lex to remain positive and upbeat throughout his treatment. Lex loves to stay busy with acting, tennis and spending time with his sisters.

“I definitely have good relationships with both of my sisters,” said Lex, “and they’ve been a blessing through all of this because they’re always there for me. They’re willing to do things to make it the better good for my health and for me. And they always let me have a say in things. They’ve definitely made the journey better, and they always find ways to make it fun.”

During these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever to raise funds #ForTheirFuture in order to find better treatments with fewer long-term side effects. You can help kids just like Lex during Year End Giving by making a donation to fund the best and most promising childhood cancer research.

To learn more about Lex, check out this blog post: Meet Rally Kid Lex: A Fun-Loving 11-Year-Old Who’s Beating Blood Cancer