Ready for takeoff.

This picture feels like a really big deal.

Today Brady had his first biopsy post HuCart infusion.

The first win of the day, Brady is up another pound.

Putting him in the “it’s safe to train with your soccer team” but five pounds shy of “it’s safe to play baseball or in a soccer game”.

These five pounds have made a world of difference in him. He finally is beginning to look healthier and not so gaunt.

Wins two and three, the initial blood tests show no B cells in his peripheral blood (which is what we want) and his spinal fluid was also clear of leukemia.

Those wins. Huge. We need the biopsy to also show no B cells when the results come back.

Win four, Brady has his first, of most likely a lifelong need, of a monthly IVIG infusion with no reaction or problem. He has an allergy to blood products so there was also a risk of this causing a reaction as well.

What is IVIG you might ask? Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a therapy treatment for patients with antibody deficiencies. It is prepared from a pool of immunoglobulins (antibodies) from the plasma of thousands of healthy donors. It’s goal is to help Brady’s body fight infections since he will no longer have B cells to carry out this task.

So as long as his fighter cells are intact and working, Brady will need one to two IVIG infusions a month for the rest of his life. This means the need to bring awareness to people to donate blood products is going to continue to be at the forefront of our story.

Win five (as if four wasn’t enough!), 300 Battle Pups got delivered to two Child Life clinical supervisors at CHOP.

This win feels monumental.

One of the most prestigious pediatric hospitals in the world wants to partner with us.

We are grateful. We are excited. We are all the things tonight.

And this feels like just the beginning.

Because of an incredibly humbling donation by an absolutely unbelievable donor, 5,000 is just the beginning for 2023.

While in Philadelphia, we received a check to cover all 5,000 pups for Brady’s original goal.

So now we wipe the grateful tears from our eyes and set our sights on not 5,000, but 10,000 Battle Pups for 2023.

And thanks to the generosity of so many that continue to bless our mission, we aren’t we aren’t far from 10,000 either.

And to be honest, we feel like 10,000 isn’t a large enough goal either.

But that is a dream for another day.

Right now we pray that everyone facing a battle will get to know they are loved and seen. And most importantly, that no one has to battle alone.

Shields up.

Swords out.

Ready for takeoff,

Kristin

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

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Nominate a warrior or donate towards 10,000 by going to www.waytobattle.com