Hi everyone 🤍

We wanted to share a big update on Cody and what the next phase of his treatment looks like.

We are beginning 12 rounds of proton radiation at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. This will be a Monday–Friday outpatient schedule over the next few weeks.

For those who may not be familiar, proton radiation is a very specialized and precise form of radiation therapy. Unlike traditional (photon) radiation, which passes through the body and can impact surrounding healthy tissue, proton radiation is designed to target tumors much more directly and stop at a specific depth. This allows doctors to treat cancer while minimizing damage to nearby organs, something that is incredibly important in a growing child.

Cody specifically needs proton radiation (instead of traditional photon radiation) because of where his disease is located. He will be receiving radiation to:

These are all very delicate, high-risk areas, and proton therapy gives him the best chance at treating the disease while protecting the healthy tissue around it.

Each day, Cody will be sedated for treatment so that he can remain completely still (which is essential for accuracy). It’s an outpatient procedure, but it will be daily anesthesia, daily treatments, and a lot on his little body, so we would really appreciate prayers for peace, strength, and protection over him through this.

We are incredibly grateful that a foundation has provided us with a 2 bed, 2 bath apartment right next to the hospital for our entire stay at a reduced rate (truly such a gift). This will allow us to stay close and make this as smooth as possible for Cody.

Because treatments are every weekday, Eric and I will be dividing and conquering, switching off mid-week so we can balance being with Cody in Cincinnati while also being home with our other boys. It’s not easy, but we’re making it work the best we can.

If anyone has been asking how to support us during this time, thank you. Truly.
If you feel led, DoorDash gift cards or help with gas would be such a practical blessing during these weeks of constant travel and long days. But more than anything…

We covet your prayers.

Prayers for:

We also just got back from a 10-day trip to Florida, staying at my aunt and uncle's beach house, and it was something we will never take for granted. We soaked up every second, slow mornings, pool time, mid afternoon naps, sunshine, laughter, and just being together. It was a reminder of how good God is, even in the middle of all of this. We are so, so grateful for our people.

We are walking into this next season with faith, even when it feels heavy. Choosing joy doesn’t mean this is easy, but it means we trust that joy can still exist within the hard.

“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” James 1:2–3

We’re holding onto that tightly right now 🤍

Thank you for loving our boy and us so deeply!