A Little Fighter's Journey: Beating the Odds

Malachi, a lively toddler, loved his dinosaurs, monster trucks, and the Miami Dolphins. His mom, Meghan Jenkins, was busy with work and daycare, enjoying the hustle and bustle of life. But in March 2021, things took a worrying turn. Malachi became unusually tired, coughed a lot, and one day, threw up. Jenkins noticed something alarming in his diaper: black stool. This sent them straight to the emergency room. In the hospital, Malachi was hooked up to machines, and doctors mentioned a possible blood transfusion. Hours passed with no clear answers, and Jenkins grew increasingly anxious. Eventually, Malachi was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, where doctors performed a bone marrow biopsy. The diagnosis was shocking: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a rare and fast-growing cancer that starts in the bone marrow. Doctors gave Malachi a life expectancy of just two and a half to three years. ALL is a type of cancer that causes the body to produce immature white blood cells, crowding out healthy cells and weakening the immune system. Malachi's white blood cell count was dangerously high. The cancer can spread quickly, affecting various organs and the central nervous system. Immediate treatment is crucial, and Malachi's doctors started him on chemotherapy right away. The first month of treatment was intense, with Malachi hospitalized and experiencing side effects like nausea and fatigue. Jenkins had to wear gloves to hold him due to his compromised immune system. The chemotherapy was tough, but it was working. Within a week, Malachi was running around the PICU, showing signs of improvement. After the initial hospitalization, Malachi continued his treatment at home, taking eight medications a day and spending several days a week in the hospital. The "maintenance" phase followed, where he took oral medication and visited the hospital every few weeks. This phase lasted for two years. Finally, in August 2023, Malachi rang the bell signifying the completion of his cancer treatment. Today, Malachi is a thriving 7-year-old who excels in school, takes gifted classes, and regularly appears on the honor roll. He still loves the Dolphins, dinosaurs, and trucks, and has become a big reader, sharing fun facts with enthusiasm. Most importantly, he is in remission. The highest risk of relapse is within the first year of completing therapy, and Malachi passed that milestone with no issues. The risk decreases significantly after two years, and Malachi has outperformed his initial prognosis. His life expectancy is now like that of any other kid his age. "You look at him, you can't tell he ever had leukemia, " said Dr. Julio Barredo, the director of pediatric cancer programs at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Malachi's immune system remains compromised, but Jenkins hopes to build it up so he can have a normal childhood. The family is looking forward to "finally blossoming" after the years of treatment and trauma. "This whole process was very hard, " Jenkins said. "It's still hard. I have moments sometimes where I'm in shock, like I don't believe we went through this or this even happened. " But she also sees a brighter future. "Every situation doesn't have this outcome. But there are brighter outcomes. There are happier days than just being in the hospital and being sad. "